The discovery that a diet high in saturated fat is linked to cardiovascular disease has led to the marketing of man-made cholesterol-free products, such as margarine and vegetable shortening, which have brought on their own share of health problems.
A daily breakfast of bacon and eggs, sizzling in butter, has caused an increase in blood cholesterol levels and heart disease, but the switch over to margarine is not a solution, but is the creation of a whole new problem. Which is worse for our health, the fat in butter or the fat in the laboratory concocted margarine? Are all fats the villain against good health and the epitome of clogged arteries, or are there some types of fats that are good for us? Since high fat diets are linked to obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer, should I put my fingers in my ears, scream, and run in the opposite direction every time I see fat in food? Well, no need to be so dramatic. Some fat, the good fats, are actually essential to your body's good health. Fat provides the body with energy, it is necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins: A, D,E, and K, for regulating body temperature, and for protecting and insulating vital organs from sudden movements or impact. There is bad fat, ugly fat, and good fat. The bad fats are saturated fats, found chiefly in animal foods. The only plants that contain saturated fat are palm oil and coconut oil. Major sources of saturated fats are butter, lamb, beef, pork, lard, poultry (with skin), eggs, cheese, cream, whole milk, and ice cream. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature, and they are characterized by having no double bonds between carbon and hydrogen in each fat molecule; they are saturated with hydrogen. According to the American Heart Association, “Eating foods that contain saturated fats raises the level of cholesterol in your blood. High levels of LDL cholesterol in your blood increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.” A very strong risk indicator of heart disease is high LDL (bad) cholesterol and low HDL (good) cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends keeping saturated fats at below 10% of total caloric intake in your daily diet. In simpler terms, the amount of saturated fat in the diet should be sharply reduced. In search for a spreadable fat to replace butter that tastes good on warm toast and over morning pancakes and to cook fragrant rice, came the production of margarine. It is touted as cholesterol-free, but it contains the type of fat that is even worse than saturated fat, called trans-fatty acids or trans-fats, the ugly fats. Margarine and vegetable shortening are made from vegetable oils, which are naturally liquid at room temperature. Margarine and shortening are formed through an industrial process (hydrogenation) that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil at extremely high temperatures, which causes the oil to become solid and changes the nature of the fatty acids. The process creates trans-fatty acids; it makes the vegetable oils solid, stable, and less likely to spoil on the shelf, which is good for food manufacturers but bad for your health. The body does not what to do with trans-fats or how to digest them because they do not occur naturally in animal or plant foods. Trans-fatty acids are contributing to health problems from heart disease to cancer. No amount of trans-fats is healthy; this type should be eliminated from your diet. A report published by the Mayo Clinic states, “Trans-fat is considered by many doctors to be the worst type of fat you can eat. Unlike other dietary fats, trans-fat raises both your LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowers your HDL (good) cholesterol.” Read food labels. The ingredient listed as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils is decoded into: trans-fatty acids. I did mention that fat is an essential component of a healthy, balanced diet and I did promise that you could eat fat; the good fats. To avoid the bad fat and get the good fat instead, switch from the use of butter and margarine in your cooking and as a condiment on your bread or salads, to the use of the good monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. An excellent example of a good fat is olive oil, rich in monounsaturated fats. A recent study published in the New England Journal stated, “Consuming more than four tablespoons of olive oil a day can significantly lower your risk of having a heart attack, suffering from a stroke or dying of heart disease.” Monounsaturated fats in olive oil can help control insulin levels, and lower the bad LDL cholesterol and increase the good HDL cholesterol (exactly opposite of the damaging effects of trans-fats). Olive oil is full of polyphenols, a type of anti-oxidant that helps protect the cells from damage. Polyphenols also have anti-inflammatory properties, improve bone and digestive health, help prevent cancer, and improve cognitive function and memory. To obtain all these health benefits, be sure that you get extra-virgin olive oil. This means that the oil is extracted mechanically, and not through a chemical process or the use of heat. Other sources of the good monounsaturated fats include canola oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, avocados, and all nuts. In moderation, another category of good fat is polyunsaturated fats, found in soybean, corn, and safflower oils, in walnuts, sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, fatty fish, soymilk, and tofu. The types of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids are salmon, lake trout, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and canned albacore tuna. Among the best fats for your health are probably the omega-3s, found in flax seeds, fatty fish, walnuts, and canola oil. Nutritionists are still learning about the benefits of omega-e fatty acids, but research has shown that they can prevent and reduce symptoms of depression, protect against memory loss and dementia, reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer, relieve inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, joint pain, and eczema, and also improve digestive health. Research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids play a vital role in brain function, including memory and problem-solving. They can also boost emotional health by helping balance mood, treat and prevent depression, and treat fatigue. Even with the good fats, moderation is key, as fats should make up between 25% and 30% of your calorie consumption, the majority being from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, very little from saturated fats, and virtually none from trans-fats. Enjoy the good fats (mono-and poly-unsaturated) in moderation, minimize the bad fats (saturated), and throw out the ugly fats (trans-fats) from your diet.
