good and bad fats

The word 'fat' is laced with many negative connotations, but the body needs various healthy fats to function properly. Fats are necessary for constructing cell membranes, insulate nerves and ensure many vitamins, including A, D, E and K, work the way they should. There are numerous types of fats, some are good for us and others not.

Types Of Fats 

Saturated Fats:

Animal produce is the primary source of saturated fat, with high levels in red meat and full fat dairy and medium levels in poultry and eggs. Saturated fats are necessary for our body but only in small amounts and with a preference on the leaner and lower fat content options.

There is a lot of debate amongst the medical community, suggesting that saturated fat isn't directly linked to heart disease. And that some saturated fats may be better for you than others. This is why we must consider what our replacement is for saturated fat if we look to reduce our intake. Replacing with polyunsaturated fats will lower our risk of heart disease, where as if we replace with high calorie carbohydrates it will do the opposite.

List of Saturated Fats: Red Meat, Poultry, Whole Milk Dairy Products, Butter, Eggs, Palm & Coconut Oils

Unsaturated Fats:

Unsaturated Fats are considered the preferred fat to consume to achieve a heart healthy diet. There are two types of unsaturated fats we should consider: Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated.  

Monounsaturated Fats are in avocado, nuts, and vegetable oils, such as canola, olive, and peanut oils. Eating foods that are high in monounsaturated fats may help lower your "bad" LDL cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats may also keep "good" HDL cholesterol levels high.

Polyunsaturated Fats are a fat mainly found in vegetable oils such as safflower, sunflower, sesame, soybean, and corn oils. Polyunsaturated fat is also the main fat found in seafood. Eating polyunsaturated fat in place of saturated fat may lower LDL cholesterol. The two types of polyunsaturated fats are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

List of Unsaturated Fats: Nuts, Seeds, Avocado, Various Oils, Fish.

Trans Fats:

Short for “trans fatty acids,” and appears in foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. These are the worst fats for you.

Like saturated fat, trans fat can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol and suppress HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Doctors have also linked trans fats to an increased risk of inflammation in the body. This inflammation can cause harmful health effects that may include heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. 

List of Trans Fats: Margarines, Cake, Doughnuts, Pastries, Ice Cream, Bread & Various Fast Food.

Tips for adding more healthy fats to your diet

Limit your intake of saturated fat. By replacing some of the red meat you eat with beans, nuts, poultry, and fish, and switching from whole milk dairy to lower fat versions. But don’t make the mistake of replacing saturated fat with refined carbohydrates and sugary foods.

Eat omega-3 fats every day. Include a variety of fish sources as well as plant sources such as walnuts, ground flax seeds, flaxseed oil, canola oil, and soybean oil.

Cook with olive oil. Use olive oil for stovetop cooking rather than butter, stick margarine, or lard. For baking, try canola oil.

Create your own salad dressing. Skip the bottled, creamy salad dressing and make your own with heart-healthy oils, like olive oil, walnut oil or avocado oil. Mix two parts oil with one part vinegar, add your favourite herbs and enjoy!

Combine seeds with meals. Stir ground flaxseed into your cereal, smoothies, yogurt & pancake batter. Flax seeds are a great source of heart-healthy omega-3 fats. Chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds can all be incorporated in various meals with added nutritional benefits.

Add avocado to things. Avocados are a delicious fruit, which has become very popular in recent years, is chock-full of monounsaturated fats. Avocados can be added to many recipes without too much prep time⁠, as a spread on your sandwich or sliced on your scrambled eggs, salad, or entrée.

Nuts are the perfect snack. Nuts are high in both types of unsaturated fats (mono and poly). Nuts are also high in other healthy ingredients, such as fibre vitamins, minerals, and protein. A handful of nuts can make a satisfying snack, or they can be added to a salad. But due to the high calorie content should be consumed in measured quantities. 

Healthy fats: extra virgin olive oil, avocado, salmon fillet, ground flaxseeds, walnuts