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June 2007 Blogs

June 2007 GCDA Magazine

Not all FATS are created equal!

HEALTH, June 2007, by Dr. Jay


Not all FATS
are created equal!
arm yourself with the knowledge
to know the difference


So here’s the thing: eating fats doesn’t necessarily make you fat. It’s the type of fats and the quantity you consume. The truth is, we NEED fats in our diet.

Did you know that fats transport vitamins in our body? It’s true. Not only that, but fats help nutrient absorption, nerve transmission, and maintaining cell membrane integrity, while benefiting your heart, metabolism and immune system. Fat is actually a concentrated source of energy.

In excess, fats can contribute to weight gain, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Just like we talked about in the last article about carbs... BALANCE IS KEY!

If you can replace bad fats with the good fats, in a balanced amount, proportional to the proteins and good carbs you eat, then you’re on track to a healthy lifestyle.

How do we know which fats to avoid?
Excellent question! Good fats are the traditional, naturally-occurring ones that haven’t been damaged by refining, processing, or high heat; a.k.a. ‘partial hydrogenation’.

There are four main types of fats. Get to know them and you’ll be armed with the knowledge to make the best choices!

So what can we do?
• avoid high saturated and trans fats in cooking oils such as coconut oil, palm oil or vegetable shortening. Choose the oils that are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as olive, canola, and flax seed oil.
• go easy on packaged foods or avoid them altogether. They can be very high in trans fats!
• try adding flax oil to your morning smoothie, or take fish oil in capsules.
• use common sense: eat less junk food and fill up on whole-some foods from the earth.

GOOD FATS

Monounsaturated Fats
monounsaturated fatsThese fats lower total cholesterol and LDL (the bad cholesterol) while increasing the HDL   (the good cholesterol)
•nuts • avacodo • canola oil • peanut oil • sesame oil • olive oil

polyunsaturated fatsPolyunsaturated Fats
hese fats also lower total cholesterol and LDL. Omega 3 fatty acids belong to this group.
• seafood • seeds • salmon fish oil • corn oil • soybean oil • safflower oil • sunflower oil

BAD FATS

Saturated Fats
saturated fatsThese fats raise total blood cholesterol as well as LDL (the bad cholesterol). Saturated fats are mainly found in animal products.
• dairy • ice-cream • coconut oil • palm oil • palm kernel oil

Trans Fats
Trans FatsThese fats were created to “hydrogenate” liquid oils so that they could last longer on the shelves. Because of hydrogenation, trans fatty acids are formed. They aren’t good and are found in many packaged and fried foods.
• french fries • packaged snacks • microwaved popcorn • vegetable shortening • margarine

~Dr. Jay

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