Natremed

Understanding the different types of fats, and more importantly the ones we should and shouldn’t consume can be very confusing. Here we discuss in brief these ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fats and help to clarify why you should increase certain fats in the diet and avoid others. The statement ‘eat a low-fat diet’, is very much out-dated, as it is not necessarily, how much fat we eat, but the type of fat we consume that is most relevant.

Understanding Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a wax-like substance, created by the liver and obtained through some foods in the diet. It has important roles to play in the body, however too much cholesterol can lead to certain health issues, the main one being heat disease. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or ‘bad’ cholesterol carry cholesterol and triglycerides from the liver to the rest of the body. Too much of this cholesterol means it can be deposited on the walls of the coronary arteries. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) or ‘good’ cholesterol brings the cholesterol from the blood back to the liver to be either excreted or reused.

‘Bad fats’ meaning saturated or  trans fats.

Saturated fats, generally from animal sources (and some plant sources such as coconut oil, palm oil) raise total blood cholesterol levels by increasing both HDL (good) and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Therefore you should limit your intake. Trans fats are produced by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen, known as hydrogenation. It is now known trans fats have the following negative effects on the body, especially our cardiovascular system:

• Increase levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol
• Lowers the levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol in the blood, which is essential to remove the bad cholesterol from the blood, to the liver for disposal.
• Encourage blood platelets to clump, potentially forming harmful clots. 
• Encourages inflammation which is associated with many diseases such as heart disease, stoke, diabetes.

 ‘Good fats’ meaning unsaturated fats i.e. monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

 Unsaturated fats are found in plants sources e.g. vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. There are two main categories; monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These oils increase HDL (good cholesterol) levels and decrease LDL (bad cholesterol) levels.

Overview

Eggs - good or bad?

Although egg yolk does contain a high amount of cholesterol, eaten in moderation (one a day) does not increase the risk of heart disease. Eggs also contain protein, vitamin B12, D, folate (B9) and riboflavin (B2). People with diabetes, or have problems controlling their cholesterol levels should limit their intake to 2-3 per week.

Tips

Do’s

• READ FOOD LABELS - avoid products with trans fats (or hydrogenated vegetable oil) in the ingredients list eg Margarine, deep fried foods, etc. Use ‘butter’ alternatives such as avocado or olive oil (with balsamic vinegar) - yum!
• Use high quality (good) oils uncooked, that is drizzle of salads, or when the food itself has been cooked.

Dont’s

• Avoid heating the ‘good’ fats, they are not stable as saturated fats, so although they are not as good for you, they are better to cook with, coconut oil is the best.
• Don’t be afraid of fats! They are beneficial for our health. Increase your consumption of nuts, seeds, extra virgin, cold pressed oils.

Reference: Harvard school of public health http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats.html

By: Melissa Cloney