Helping you choose good fat over bad

The right types of fat in small amouts are essential for our health. Your body uses it to absorb vitamins, move nutriens around and build cells. However, because it tastes good, it's easy to eath too much. It's really easy for your body to store fat too, and some fats are just not good for us.

Which kind of fats are you eating?

There are different types of fats and oils, each one affecting your body in different ways, so how much you eat is as important as what you eat.

Eat more often polyunsaturated fats

Omega 3 and Omega 6 are types of polyunsaturated fat that are vital for health. It's the balance between them that counts, and on the whole most of us need to eat more Omega 3 fats.

Omega 3 fats may help reduce the risk of heart attack, stroked and rheumatoid arthritis. Good sources are oily fish such as herring, salmon, mackerel and sardines, as well as dark green leafly vegetables, pumpkin seeds, rapeseed oil, linseeds and walnuts. You only need tiny amounts but because aren't in that many foods it can be tricky to get enough.

Eat unsaturated fats in moderation

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats lower harmful cholesterol levels and help cut the risk of heart disease. The main sources of monounsaturated fat are olive oil, rapeseed oil and foods such as peanuts, avocados, sesame seeds, cashews, sunflower and almonds. But watch out: Palm and coconut oil are an exeption: they contain saturated fat.

Foods high in polyunsaturates include corn oil, sunflower oil and magarine, nuts and seeds together with fish oils and oily fish.

Omega 6 fats reduce bad cholesterol, although too much may also reduce good cholesterol, so it is best to eat them in moderation. They're found in sunflower oil, olive oil, polyunsaturated margarine, seeds and nuts.

Eat less saturated fats

Saturated fats don't do much to keep your body healthy and will clog up your arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease. Fats with a lot of saturated fat in them are hard at room temperature and mostly come from animal products including cheese, lard and meat fat. Processed foods made from these fats include biscuits, caked and pastry. Palm and coconut oil are also highly saturated and are often used in biscuits, margarine and bakery products.

Sat, 18 Aug 2007 | Posted in: Nourishment | Posted by: Jeremy Walters

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