Katarina Rogers is a dietetic student at the University of Nevada, Reno and is our guest blogger this week.
Over the past few years fats have been undergoing some rebranding. Once they were considered the root of dietary evil and now they are considered the heart healthy saviors. How could this be? Well, for one, we as humans have a bad habit of demonizing food groups as the cause of weight gain and illness. The truth is that we need carbohydrates, proteins, and fats working together as a balanced diet. The second reason for this change in perspective about fats is that not all fats are created equal. In this week’s blog, I have explained and clarified important facts you need to know about fat.
Saturated Fats
The term ‘saturated’ comes from the structure of fatty acids making up the fat. Saturated fats are made out of long chains of carbons whose other links are fully saturated by hydrogen molecules. Saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature and are derived from animal and plant sources. Red meats, full fat dairy, and butter are main contributors to saturated fat intake. Coconut, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil and cocoa butter are plant-based saturted fats. Saturated fat intake increases LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood stream. The action of how this is done is not fully understood, however, when saturated fats are eaten in excess, it can have a significant negative effect on heart health. So, when we are talking about ‘bad fats’, those listed are the ones we’re referring to.
The American Heart Association recommends that only 5-6% of calories come from saturated fats. For a diet based on 2,000 calories a day, only 120 of those calories should come from saturated fat, which is about 13 grams a day.
Unsaturated Fats/Polyunsaturated Fats
Unsaturated fats are also made up of carbon chains, but not all the carbon’s available links are connected to hydrogen molecules. Unsaturated fats are generally liquid at room temperature and are made from plant and nut sources- think olive and avocado oil. There are two types of unsaturated fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated are olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, avocados, and most nuts. Polyunsaturated fats are divided into Omega-3s and Omega-6s.
Omega-6s: These fats can be found in a myriad of different fatty foods. In fact, most Americans do not need to actively increase their intake of these fats because they get a surplus in their diet already. Omega 6s convert in a chain of reactions to promote the inflammatory response of the body that is undesirable in a chronic state. Because we participate in an already omega 6 rich diet, we generally need to focus on getting enough Omega-3s to offset this.
Omega-3s: These fats are found in fatty fish like sardines and salmon, flaxseed, walnuts, chia seeds, and hemp seeds. Omega-3 convert in a chain of reactions in you body to help aid the anti-inflammatory response. Increasing Omega-3s is believed to be heart protective because of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties.
There are two important types of Omega-3’s; DHA and EPA
DHA and EPA: DHA (docosapentaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) are found particularly in fish and shellfish. DHA is especially important to the brain and retina of the eye in aiding neurotransmitters. DHAs occur naturally in breast milk and have been found to be so beneficial that they have been added to infant feeding formulas to help brain development in babies.
I hope this helped alleviate any confusion when it comes to fats! It you have any questions please be sure to comment below.
Karen Fisher, MS, RD, LDN, CDE is a dietitian in Reno, Nevada, happily promoting the benefits of healthy foods at her nutrition consulting firm, Nutrition Connection. Find her website atwww.NutritionConnectionNV.com
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