I saved the best macronutrient for last – fat! There’s a lot of confusion about fat and its role in our health. Read on to learn more.
Are you behind on your reading? Be sure to check out part 1 (carbs) and part 2 (protein) . |
What do fats do?
- Transport, absorb, and store vitamins A, D, E, and K
- Are a major contributor to sex hormone production and corticosteroids
- Form the outer layer of every cell on our body (aka, the phospholipid bilayer)
- Source of essential fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6 (remember, essential means our body can’t make it – we have to get it from food)
- Omega 3 fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body
- Form much of the brain
- Taste amazing
We get these benefits from all fats – not just the “healthy” ones.
Fats that we eat do NOT become body fat. Dietary fat is very dense – it has the highest energy per gram (9kcal/g) compared to carbs and protein (4 kcal/g). This is great for anyone who needs a lot of calories but has a small appetite (eg, infants, toddlers, children, athletes, older adults, people going through cancer treatments). Fats are crucial for the brain development of children and adolescents. Additionally, fat is satisfying and digests slowly which reduces our cravings for sweets.
Fat is not the enemy.
The only real danger of dietary fat is when we eat an imbalanced amount OR inadequate fat. That can lead to changes in cholesterol production.
How much do I need?
Saturated fatFor heart health, the American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to 5-6% of calories. That’s about 11-13 grams / day. Other organizations recommend < 10% of calories from saturated fat (or 22-26 grams / day)
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Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated fatUnsaturated fats tend to get lumped together when it comes to recommendations. Ideally these fats should make up the majority of the types of fat eaten and our bodies prefer if we eat a variety of sources.
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Trans fat
Trans fat or “partially hydrogenated oils” are terrible for our cholesterol. It’s best to avoid as much as possible.
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tion of saturated and unsaturated fats. The percentage of saturated and unsaturated fat varies. It’s best if most of the fat we eat is primarily unsaturated but it’s impossible (and unnecessary) to strictly avoid saturated fats.
What should I eat?
In general the goals are to:
- Avoid trans fat
- Limit saturated fat
- Enjoy mostly unsaturated fats
It’s about balancing your overall food choices. Here are some of the most common food questions I get in clinic.
Eggs are not the demon the media makes the out to be. Eggs are low in saturated fat compared to other protein options. For more details on eggs, check out this blog post.
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Cheese has a surprising amount of saturated fat. It’s delicious and adds tremendous flavor. Often vegetarians rely on cheese for protein, but ideally it should not make up a large percentage of the diet.
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- High fat deli meats (hot dogs, bacon, sausage, pastrami, salami, brats, bologna)
- Red meat (cuts of beef)
- Pink
meats (pork, goat) - White meat (chicken, turkey, white fish)
However, keep in mind that when you fry a meat, it increases the amount of saturated fat pretty quickly!
Coconut oil is so hot right now. Pop culture diets like Paleo treat it like a super food, but its benefits are not well researched. Coconut oil is high in saturated fat. But the chemistry / bond is different than the saturated fat found in animal products. The research is not clear whether or not that means we metabolize it differently. In general, if you want to use it, keep the amount small.
Want more information? Check out this article on Today’s Dietitian. |