What are Fats?Can I eat fat? How bad are they? Do they have any use?I love french fries! Well who doesn't? Yes french fries have a lot of fat and potato which is pure starch!!The good news is Americans are eating less fat. Intake has reduced from 40% of total calories to 35% of total calories. We need to reduce only another 5%. A piece of cake surely for all of us!! Fats are nutrients too!Each gram of fat gives 9 calories. Everyone needs fat, the quantity of fat and the type of fat is important in health. Fats or oils can be obtained from either animal or vegetable sources. Animal fats include butter, clarified butter(ghee)lard etc. Vegetable fats are mainly oils. Vegetable fats are generally liquid at room temperature. Vegetable fats are saturated to make margarine. Types of FatFats are classified as saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. The human body needs fats from all these sources. They are an important part of every cell in the body. During the developmental stages fats should not be restricted. Children upto the age of 2 years therefore should not receive low fat milk, or diets. Fats are also needed to absorb the fat soluble vitamins, like vitamin A,D E and K. There are certain fat derivatives that our body needs from the diet, hence they are called essential fatty acids. The Omega-3 and the omega-6 fatty acids are a part of vital body structures, have a role in immune function, vision and are a part of the cell membrane. They also produce hormone like compounds called "eiconosoids". The recommended daily allowance is 10% of total energy(calories) should come from these sources. On a 2,500 kcal/ day it would amount to 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. DHA and EPA are two other fatty acids known to have beneficial effects. These are present in tuna, sardines or salmon. Canola and soyabean oil are also good sources.Where do I get my fat in the diet? The simple yardstick to know if your foods are high in fat.
Foods that melt in your mouth have a reasonably good amount of fat. Foods that stick to your mouth roof and palette are lower in fat.example ritz crackers versus saltine crackers. Ritz melt in your mouth while saltine stick to your palette! So remember the number you eat is important. How bad are they ? When eaten in moderation they pose no health problems. Read your food labels and count the amount of fat and the type of fat you are eating. The total amount of fat you eat should be less than or equal to 30% of total calories. Is that confusing? Let me simplify it. If you are a person who needs( not a couch potato!) 2,000 calories/day, 600 calories or less should come from fats. Since each gram of fat gives 9 calories you need a total of 67 grams of fat/ day or less. That is not the end of the story you need to watch your saturated fat too!Saturated fats are found mainly in foods from animal origin.Palm oil and coconut oil often used in commercially baked goods also contain saturated fats! Cholesterol: is found in meat poultry, fish egg yolks, milk cream cheese butter and other dairy products. Foods from plants such as grains, nuts(high in fat)and fruits and vegetables which are generally low in fat do not have cholesterol. Saturated Fats: Saturated fats have been implicated with heart disease. High intakes of saturated fats can lead to plaque formation and cause heart attacks! These are fats mainly from animal origin. These include whole milk, cheese, butter, red meat, lard, poultry, chicken, eggs etc. Vegetables oils are polyunsaturated fats but with the addition of hydrogen(process is therefore called hydrogenation) they are converted into saturated fats. These hydogenated fats undergo a chemical change that is not heart healthy. Look for the heart healthy hydrogenated margarine in your supermarket! Polyunsaturated Fats:These tend to reduce blood cholesterol more is not better! You still have to keep your total fat calories to 30% of your total calories!! and hence are better for your heart.Remember that just because it is healthier Common sources are sunflower oil, corn oil, soyabean oil and safflower oils. Repeated cooking in the same used oil is not recommended for heart health! Monounsaturated fats:These fats are present in olive oil and canola oil peanut oil and of course in avacados. They are considered heart healthy. The mediterranean cuisine uses a lot of olive oil in their cooking. But do not forget that the people living in the mediteranean also eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and plenty of tomatoes which all are heart healthy. So again remember while both poly and mono unsaturated fats are heart healthy, to get the best heart health results you still have to keep your total fat calories to 30% or less!! How do I ensure that I am eating 30% or less from fat?What are the uses of fat?
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Deserts can have high fat content. Choose low fat substitutes if you must have a desert everyday.
Keeping your intake of saturated fat to 8-10% of your total calories can lower your risk for heart diseases. That is approximately a third of of your fat calories, eqivalent to 200 calories or 22 grams of fat.