Know Your Fats!

It's frustrating isn't it? You're trying to eat healthfully to decrease your risk for heart disease, but there are SO many mixed messages from the media. 'Do this... Don't do this...' How many times have you heard a contradiction of something else you heard the day before? Probably too many to count; I know.

So let's see if I can make it simple!

All fats are not created equally! (REPEAT: ALL FATS ARE NOT CREATED EQUALLY! Just checking to make sure you're listening! :))

There are FOUR different kinds of fats.
1. Monounsaturated fats (MUFA)
2. Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA)
3. Saturated fats (SFA)
4. Trans fats

1. MUFA are your number one heart healthy choice. You want to choose these types of fats most often. MUFA include walnuts, almonds, avocado, olive oil, canola oil...
2. PUFA are your second heart healthy choice, only second to MUFA. PUFA include vegetable oils and fish...
3. SFA are fats you want to limit. You need a small amount of saturated fats for your body to function normally. SFA are found in animal products mostly such as meats and dairy products.
4. Trans fats are mostly human made. These do more bad than good in your body. The amount you need is essentially zero. They are found mostly in baked goods and pre-made foods.

Fat Rules
1. Limit your total fat per day to 25% of your calories
2. Limit your saturated fat to 7% of your calories
3. Limit your trans fat to 1% of your calories

Fat Confusion: Fat versus Cholesterol
Research is showing us at the type of fat is having a greater impact on our risk for heart disease than cholesterol alone. Cholesterol- a waxy substance found in animals- does not necessarily increase the cholesterol (specifically LDL cholesterol) that we are measuring. Eating an egg a day is not likely to increase LDL (in the general population. There is a small percentage of people who will see an increase or decrease in their blood cholesterol levels based on the amount of cholesterol-containing foods they consume , but this is not common. How do you know if it's you? Trial and error with dietary changes in your diet followed by a blood test.) There are benefits of eating eggs and shrimp and other cholesterol containing foods which out weigh the minimal risks of the cholesterol content. For example, eggs and shrimp are both sources of lean protein which help to keep you satiated! (Just be sure to not add butter, cheese, or excessive oil- of any type!) Some eggs contain omega 3 fatty acids, which also have heart healthy benefits!

What we also now know with more clarity is that saturated fat will increase your LDL and trans fat will increase your LDL and lower your HDL. This is much more significant than the role of cholesterol per se. (LDL is your bad or lousy cholesterol; we want this number to be low. HDL is your good cholesterol; we want this number to be high!)

All foods in moderation! Be aware of what you're eating. And always remember portion control! :)

Enjoy!

The Bottom Line!

Dietary Fats (in detail!)

Know your fats!