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microscope Focus on Fats

bullet Weighty issues: the lowdown on dietary fat intake

Fat has been given a bad rap: in response to North America's burgeoning obese population, we are continually bombarded with health care professionals' warnings to reduce our overall fat intake. According to the World Health Organization, for the first time in history the world's obese population equals the number of people that are starving. Clearly, we are facing a dietary crisis on a global scale.

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bullet Adopting a balanced approach to fat

Our war on fat, however, is being taken to dangerous extremes: the trendy "fat-free diet" is one example of the radical response to fat. Rather than adopting a blanket approach to fat by eliminating it altogether, it is crucial to differentiate between the bad fats and the fats that are essential for maintaining good overall health.


Obesity is not only due to diets high in saturated fats, but is also a result of the preponderance of processed foods in our diets. Processed foods, such as sugar-laden breakfast cereals, commercial baked goods, etc. contain a high carbohydrate content, which the body stores as fat.

What's a recipe for good health?

The daily fat intake in the typical North American diet is currently approximately 100 g, or 40% of total calories. This level is too high: nutrition experts currently recommend that the daily fat intake should not exceed 20% to 30% of the total caloric intake per day. Specifically, saturated fat intake (typically animal fat) is being targeted: saturated fat should comprise less than 10% of total daily caloric intake.


For example, if you consume 2000 calories per day, no more than 600 calories should come from fat. And of these 600 calories, a maximum of 200 calories should be derived from saturated fat.


Certain types of fats are necessary in order to maintain good overall health. Rather than attempting to eliminate fats altogether, we need to focus on the types of fats we are ingesting. The first step is to understand (a) the different kinds of fat, (b) why our bodies need it, and (c) how to incorporate fats into a healthy diet.

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bullet Fat Facts: Not all fat is bad for you...
 
Fat can be divided into two categories: saturated and unsaturated fats (check out the overview).
 
bullet Saturated Fats
  
 

These are the "bad" fats. When taken in large quantities, saturated fats raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.

For example: atherosclerosis occurs when lipid-laden plaques build up in the walls of arteries, eventually completely occluding blood flow. As a result, blood cannot nourish vital tissues such as the heart or the cerebral cortex, causing the tissue to die (necrosis). Saturated fats have also been implicated in some cancers, such as breast and prostate cancers.

Sources:
Mainly from animal sources, such as meat, cheese, yogurt, and whole milk

  
 
bullet Unsaturated Fats
There are two types of unsaturated fats:
Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated
  
 

bullet Monounsaturated fats

Although the fatty acids of monounsaturated fats can be made in the liver and fat tissue, in is important to add them to the diet. Monounsaturated fats have been implicated in protecting against heart disease and some types of cancer.

Sources:
Sources include canola oil, peanuts, peanut oil, olives, olive oil, avocados, and cashews


bulletPolyunsaturated fats

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are called essential fatty acids (EFA's) because, unlike saturated or monounsaturated fats, the body can't make them from precursors. EFA's serve as precursors for certain membrane phospholipid and glycolipid substances as well as for prostaglandins, mediators within cells that control important functions.

Sources:
Sources vary in their essential fatty acid content, with some containing large amounts of one family and less of another. For example, organic flax oil is the richest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, while borage oil is a rich source of omega-6 fatty acids.


The importance of incorporating a balanced EFA intake has only been widely known since the 1980's. A basic understanding of EFA's and their role in maintaining a healthy body will enable you to make informed choices about the fats you choose.

Trans Fats and Hydrogenation 		 

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