signalsGood and Bad Fats 101
February 1st 2007 18:05
John R. from No Myth Fitness requested this post - basically, how do you know which fats are good for you and which fats are not so good?
I used to eat all kinds of "bad" fats with abandon - as much saturated fat as I wanted (think nachoes, hamburgers, fried and creamy desserts, etc) and I didn't really know about trans fats, so i ate those too. I used to be so blessed as to be able to eat whatever I wanted, so why would I care if it wasn't healthy?
Although I never suffered any ill effects, I know better now, and I've educated myself on the best kinds of fats to eat. I'll start out with the worst - trans fat.
Up until about a year ago, the dangers of trans fats weren't widely known. Now we know they cause all kinds of problems in your body - heart disease, clogged arteries, weight gain, stomach fat accumulation...the list goes on and on. But how do you know if you're eating trans fats or not? Here are a couple tips:
-Most companies aren't required to list trans fats if they're .5 g or less per serving. Trust me, that's still too much. Look on the ingredient label for "partially hydrogenated" oils. The culprits - mostly fried food, snack food, and margarine.
-Ask at restaurants what kind of oil they use to fry in. This may sound fanatical, but if I go to a new place, I always ask!
Next up are saturated fats. These can include palm or palm kernel oil and coconut oil, as well as your standard food groups like meats, dairy and eggs. If you have these in moderation (less than 20g per day on average) you'll be fine. But too much of them could raise your bad cholesterol.
The best fats are mono-or poly-unsaturated fats like canola oil, extra virgin oilve oil, oil in nuts and seeds. Olive oil is great to cook with, as well as delicious on bread in place of butter. You can also cook with canola oil. Some restaurants are beginning to use these healthier oils, so keep an eye out.
In general - remember to read the ingredients, especially when looking for trans fats!
Good luck!
Claire S.
I used to eat all kinds of "bad" fats with abandon - as much saturated fat as I wanted (think nachoes, hamburgers, fried and creamy desserts, etc) and I didn't really know about trans fats, so i ate those too. I used to be so blessed as to be able to eat whatever I wanted, so why would I care if it wasn't healthy?
Although I never suffered any ill effects, I know better now, and I've educated myself on the best kinds of fats to eat. I'll start out with the worst - trans fat.
-Most companies aren't required to list trans fats if they're .5 g or less per serving. Trust me, that's still too much. Look on the ingredient label for "partially hydrogenated" oils. The culprits - mostly fried food, snack food, and margarine.
-Ask at restaurants what kind of oil they use to fry in. This may sound fanatical, but if I go to a new place, I always ask!
Next up are saturated fats. These can include palm or palm kernel oil and coconut oil, as well as your standard food groups like meats, dairy and eggs. If you have these in moderation (less than 20g per day on average) you'll be fine. But too much of them could raise your bad cholesterol.
The best fats are mono-or poly-unsaturated fats like canola oil, extra virgin oilve oil, oil in nuts and seeds. Olive oil is great to cook with, as well as delicious on bread in place of butter. You can also cook with canola oil. Some restaurants are beginning to use these healthier oils, so keep an eye out.
Good luck!
Claire S.
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