Saturated fats: More facts...
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Apr 19, 2019
- 2 min read
Turns out Everyone Was Wrong About Saturated Fats
You need to lose weight and the solution comes with healthy fat choices. Fat and especially saturated type was blamed due to risk health like diabetes an heart disease while studies have shown that refined carbs can be bad to your health more than fat do!
How Much Fat Should You Eat?
Guidelines considering fat consumption were reducing fat intake to less than 30% of total calories and saturated fatty acids to less than 10% from red meat and dairy products like milk, eggs and cheese.
People did follow the guidelines and replace fat with refined carbs from fat-free products but unfortuantely the results were double rate of obesity.
In fact, you need to know that not all types of fat are equal and fat is really important to lose weight. It is a main macronutrient for energy, it is more satisfying and it keeps you full longer.Moreover, fat add flavour to plates and make food more satisfying as you need to ocnsume few calories to feel satisfied. Fats have slow digestion and they slow glucose entry to the bloodstream.
Here are the types of fat you should consume and one you should avoid:
Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) are found in olive oil, canola oil, walnuts and most other nuts as well as avocados. MUFAs are usually liquid at room temperature.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are always liquid both at room temperature and in the refrigerator. They're found mostly in oils from vegetables, seeds and some nuts. Sunflower, safflower, flaxseed, soybean, corn, cottonseed, grape-seed and sesame oils are high in PUFAs. So are the oils in fatty fish, such as sardines, herring and salmon.
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are dietary fats that your body can't produce. Both omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs are PUFAs essential to your health and well-being. Omega-3s are found in the fat of shellfish and cold-water fish. Omega-6s are found primarily in seeds and grains, as well as in chickens and pigs. Unless you're eating a very low-fat diet, you are most likely getting more than the recommended amount of omega-6s.
Eat foods or take supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as shellfish, cold-water ocean fish and fish oil (salmon, tuna, sardines, herring and anchovies, along with non-fish sources like flaxseed, almonds, walnuts and canola oil). Avoid corn, soybean, cottonseed and peanut oils, which are all high in omega-6s.
Saturated fatty acids (SFAs) tend to remain solid at room temperature. Butter, lard, suet and palm and coconut oils are relatively rich in saturated fats. This type of fat is fine to consume on a low carbs diet because when carbs are restricted, your body burns primarily fat for fuel.
Trans fats should be avoided at all costs. Trans fats have been associated with an increased heart-attack risk, and they have been shown to increase the body's level of inflammation. They are typically found in foods you should be avoiding already, including fried foods, baked goods, cookies, crackers, candies, snack foods, icings and vegetable shortenings.
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