| Fat facts / What are Good
and Bad fats? |
| Fats are also known as: |
 |
| • |
Lipids |
| • |
Monounsaturated
fat |
| • |
Polyunsaturated
fat |
| • |
Saturated fat |
|
| From a calorie viewpoint there
is no difference between monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated
fat. ALL fats are high in calories. |
| |
| Please do not avoid fats altogether!
Fat is a nutrient that is necessary for health. As fat performs a number
of essential functions in the body a fat-free diet is not recommended. |
| |
- Fat is a major source of energy and also aids your body in absorbing
fat soluble vitamins.
- Fat is important for proper growth and development and for keeping
you healthy.
- Fat adds flavor and taste to foods and gives you satiety value
- Fats are an important source of calories and nutrients especially
for infants and toddlers.
- Fats are known as triglycerides, both in food and in the body and
they are the storage and transport form of fats.
|
| Total fat consumption should be
15-30 per cent of total daily calorie intake. Monounsaturated fat and
polyunsaturated fat should account for a majority of this total fat intake,
while saturated fat should make a very small part of this total. |
| |
| Fat Facts |
| Saturated Fat Is The Main
Dietary Cause Of High Blood Cholesterol |
| Saturated fats are
firm at room temperature and are found mostly in foods from animal sources
and a few plant sources. Foods from animal sources that are rich in saturated
fats include beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter,
cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy products made from whole and 2 percent
milk. All these foods also contain dietary cholesterol. Foods from plant
sources that contain saturated fat include coconut, coconut oil, palm
oil and palm kernel oil (often called tropical oils), and cocoa butter. |
| |
| Fat Facts |
| Is Butter Better Than Margarine? |
| Because butter is rich in both
saturated fat and cholesterol, it's potentially a highly atherogenic food
(a food that causes the arteries to be blocked). Most margarine is made
from vegetable fat and provides no dietary cholesterol but they contain
Trans-fatty acids (TFA). However, the more liquid the margarine, i.e.,
tub or liquid forms, the less hydrogenated it is and the less TFA it contains. |
| |
| Fat Facts |
| Hydrogenated fats &
trans fats |
| Fats like margarine and shortening
are made of vegetable oils which have undergone a chemical process called
hydrogenation. They contain a kind of fat called trans fatty acids (TFAs)
which also raise blood cholesterol. TFAs are found naturally in small
amounts in various animal products such as beef, pork, lamb and the butterfat
in butter and milk. It appears that these naturally formed TFAs may not
have the same effect on blood cholesterol as those produced by hydrogenation.
The saturated fats & trans fat content of foods is printed on the
Nutrition Facts label of packaged foods. Keep trans fat intake to less
than 1 percent of total calories. For example, if you need 2,000 calories
a day, you should consume less than 2 grams of trans fat. |
| |
| How are trans-fatty
acids harmful? |
| There are no labeling regulations
for fast food, and it can even be advertised as cholesterol-free and cooked
in vegetable oil. But, eating one doughnut at breakfast (3.2 g of TFA
) and a large order of French fries at lunch (6.8 g of TFA) will add 10
g of TFA to one's diet. So even if the food is advertised as healthy,
dig a little deeper, and look at its ingredients. If ‘hydrogenated’
appears there, know that it contains TFAs and should be eaten sparingly |
| |
| Polyunsaturated
And Monounsaturated Fats Are The Two Unsaturated Fats. |
| These fats are liquid at room temperature
and found mainly in fatty fish, nuts, seeds and oils from plants. Examples
of foods that contain these fats include salmon, trout, herring, avocados,
olives, walnuts and liquid vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, safflower,
canola, olive and sunflower. |
| Monounsaturated fat is considered
to be the healthiest type of fat and the use of both polyunsaturated and
monounsaturated fat’s help lower your blood cholesterol level when
you use them in moderation. Keep a total fat intake, maximum of 25 -30
percent of calories, with a major portion coming from fish and/or plant
sources. |
| |
| Omega 3 Fatty Acids |
| Omega 3 fats are a kind of polyunsaturated
fats. They have traditionally been classified as "essential fatty
acids" because the body is unable to manufacture them on its own
and because they play a fundamental role in several physiological functions. |
| |
| What foods
provide omega 3 fatty acids? |
| Salmon, flax seeds and walnuts
are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Very good sources of these
healthy fats include scallops, cauliflower, cabbage, cloves and mustard
seeds. Good sources of these fats include halibut, shrimp, cod, tuna,
soybeans, tofu, kale, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts. |
| |
| Fat Facts |
| Sources of Good and Bad
Fats |
A few sources of good & bad
fats with the serving sizes and their yield (Fat foods lists)
Good fats - sources of MUFA, PUFA & Omega 3 fatty acids |
| Good
Fats |
Serving
size |
Amount
of Fat |
| Canola
Oil |
1
tsp |
4.5g |
| Almonds |
6
nos |
4.5g |
| Avocados |
2
Tbsp |
4.5g |
| Olive
oils |
1
tsp |
4.5g |
| Cashews |
6
nuts |
4.5g |
| Peanuts |
10
nuts |
4.5g |
| Safflower
oil |
1
tsp |
4.5g |
| Pistachios |
16
nuts |
4.5g |
| Soya
bean oil |
1
tsp |
4.5g |
| Salmon,
trout |
1.5
oz |
4.5g |
| Walnuts |
2
whole or 4 halves |
4.5g |
| Sunflower
oils |
1
tsp |
4.5g |
|
|
| |
| Bad fats – sources
of saturated & trans fats (Foods Rich in Fats) |
| Bad
Fats |
Serving
size |
Amount
of Fat |
| Butter |
1
pat or 1 “ square |
4.06g |
| Cream |
1
Tbsp |
4.5g |
| Ghee |
1
tsp |
5g |
| Mayonnaise |
1
tsp |
4.5g |
| Croissant
small |
1.5
oz |
8g |
| Haldiram
snacks |
2
Tbsp |
5g |
| Bacon |
1
slice |
4.5g |
| Sausage
break fast |
1
oz |
8g |
| French
fries |
1.3
oz ( 38 g) |
6g |
| Peanut
butter |
1
½ tsp |
4.5g |
| Creamy
Salad |
1
tbsp |
5g |
| Mittai’s |
1
“ square |
7
– 10g |
| Pork
Mutton & Chicken |
1
oz |
8g |
|
|
| |
| Fat Facts |
Use Healthy alternatives,
low amounts of fat and/or non stick cookware
(Sources of Good and Bad fats – Fat foods lists) |
| Avoid
this |
Substitute
with this instead |
| Whole
milk |
Skimmed
milk |
| Margarine |
Light
or fat free margarine |
| Mayonnaise |
reduced
fat or fat-free mayonnaise |
| Cream
cheese |
light
or fat-free cream cheese |
| Regular
cheese |
part
skim or reduced fat cheese |
| Whole
egg |
two
egg whites |
| Whipped
cream |
non-fat
yogurt, or whipped topping made with skim milk |
| Ghee
or butter |
Low
fat butter |
| Ice
cream |
Frozen
dessert made with vegetable oil |
|
|
| |
| Fat Facts |
RDA of
fat in the diet
(Good and bad fats amounts) |
| There is no definite
amount or RDA set for fat After the age of 2 years everybody should eat
foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol to maintain healthy blood cholesterol
levels. Optimum levels of fat in the diet are given below: |
- Less than 10 percent of calories should come from saturated fat.
- An average of 30 percent of calories or less should come from total
fat.
- Dietary cholesterol intake should be less than 300 mg a day.
|
| Other
recommendations for good and bad fats amounts include: |
- 10 percent or less of total calories should come from polyunsaturated
fat intake
- 10 to 15 percent of total calories should come from monounsaturated
fats.
|
| Is there
a minimum need for the different kinds of fats? |
You need a minimum
of 10 to 20 percent of your overall calories as fat according to the Food
and Agriculture
Organization/World Health Organization. |
| |
| Fat Facts |
| Calories
from FATS |
| Age
/person |
TOTAL
CALORIES |
CALORIES
FROM FAT |
GRAMS
OF FAT |
TSP
OF FAT |
| Active
adult male |
2,500-2,000 |
750-900 |
83-100 |
17-20 |
| Adult
male or active female |
2,500-2,000 |
600-750 |
67-83 |
13-17 |
| Adult
female or elderly male |
1,500-2,000 |
450-600 |
50-67 |
10-13 |
| Dieting
adult or elderly female |
1,000-1,500 |
300-450 |
33-50 |
6-10 |
|
|
| |
| Fat Facts |
| Good
and Bad Fats in Meal Planning: A few suggestions: |
- Choose fish, poultry, and lean cuts of meat with the fat and skin
removed before cooking. Eat no more than 6 ounces per day or substitute
vegetarian sources of protein for animal sources several times a week.
Good sources include lentils and beans including soybeans
- Broil, bake, roast, steam or poach foods rather than fry them.
- Cut down on high fat processed meats
- Limit organ meats such as liver
- Use skim or low-fat milk, cheeses, and yogurt.
- Use all fats and oils sparingly. Use liquid or soft tub margarines
or vegetable oils high in monounsaturated fats like canola and olive
oil instead of butter.
- For dressings use no oil dressings or skimmed and low fat dressings
instead of regular creamy dressings. Add condiments and spices like
mustard, basil, ginger, garlic & cinnamon to increase flavor.
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grain cereals,
breads, rice and pasta made from whole grains.
- Stay away from packaged and processed foods, such as pies, cakes,
cookies, doughnuts, croissants, and muffins that are high in saturated
or hydrogenated fats
- Limit commercially fried foods, baked goods, shortenings as they
will have lots of hydrogenated saturated & Trans fats which can
be harmful.
- Always read food labels. Look for the “Nutrition Facts”
on the label and choose products that are lowest in fat and saturated
fat. Also avoid products that list hydrogenated fats high on the ingredient
list.
- If you know you have a family history of Diabetes, Obesity, and
Heart Disease and you find yourself gaining weight, then it is recommended
you address the issue of eating a more balanced diet. One that is
rich in fruits and vegetables but lean in fats and oils.
|
| Let our
NutritionVista.com dietitians work with you in adjusting what you consume
so you can balance your food intake with the calories you burn. |