What are healthy fats?

Healthy fats come in two forms:  polyunsaturated or monounsaturated.  Polyunsaturated fats can be further categorised into omega 6 and omega 3. Lets look at omega 6 polyunsaturated fats first.  We find them in oils such as sunflower and soya oils and spreads made from these oils, nuts and seeds, lean meat and eggs.  These fats can help to reduce cholesterol so a certain amount in the diet is good, but too much is not so good for our health as this can lower your good cholesterol. 

The Omega 3 factor

Omega 3 polyunsaturated fat has generated lots of interest in recent times.  What is so good about omega 3 and where do we get it?  Oily fish (salmon, sardings, mackerel, trout, herring & fresh tuna) is the richest source.  Health experts recommend we eat two portions of fish each week, one of which should be oily.  This has been shown to reduce the risk of fatal heart disease, and those who have previously had a heart attack are recommended to eat two to three portions of oily fish each week.    Omega 3 fats also have an important role in the development of the brain, eyes and nerves in the unborn child, which is why women should ensure they also eat their quota of oily fish if pregnant or planning a pregnancy, and the habit of regularly eating oily fish should start in childhood. 

Omega 3 fats have anti-inflammatory properties that may be of benefit to a number of conditions other than heart disease - the strongest research evidence indicates some benefit for rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.  

Where do we find Omega 3 in food?

Oily fish is the richest dietary source of omega 3 fats, but there are other options for vegetarians and non fish lovers.  Options include walnuts, linseed (flaxseed) and their oils, soyabean and rapeseed oils and foods fortified with omega 3 such as eggs and spreads.  We all could benefit from increasing our intake of omega 3 fats, from oily fish or other dietary sources. 

What about Olive Oil?

Monounsaturated fats are found in olives, olive oil, rapeseed oil and spreads made from these oils.  It is also in nuts (almonds, pistachio, cashews, hazelnuts and peanuts), seeds and avocado.  Did you know approximately 1/3 of the fat of lean meat is monounsaturated!  Replacing saturated fat (e.g. butter) with monounsaturated fat (e.g. olive oil based spread) can help to decrease the bad cholesterol in your body, without lowering your good cholesterol.  But remember all fat is fat, so if watching your weight watch your portion size!

What about the not so healthy fats?

These are saturated fats and trans fats (or trans fatty acids).  Saturated fat is found in meat fat, poultry skin, fatty meats like sausage and pate, butter, lard and fast food.  Cream, cheese, confectionary are also high in saturates.  While we don’t need to have a diet totally free of saturated fat, it is long known that eating too much of this fat can raise bad cholesterol, which increases the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.   However, trans fats have more recently stolen the limelight in the baddie stakes as these particular fats not only raise bad cholesterol but they can also reduce good cholesterol if eaten in excessive amounts.  

Where are trans fats come from?  Food manufacturing often involves processing oils to make them more stable before they are added to foods.  This can result in formation of trans fats in a range of processed foods such as margarines (check the label), cakes, pastries, biscuits, confectionary, fast food and pies.  Some French fries, soup powders and snack products have been shown to contain high levels of trans fats.  Foods that have hydrogenated oils or hydrogenated fat in the ingredients list are likely to contain trans fats, however, the best way to avoid them is to keep processed foods like confectionary, biscuits, cakes and takeaway to a minimum! 

Putting it all together

Whether you are eating good fats, or bad fats, at the end of the day, all fats are high in calories.  So if you need to lose weight, the first thing to do is reduce your overall fat intake (cutting down on biscuits, flapjacks, muffins, cakes, crisps, chips, sausage rolls, fried foods, use of oil or fat in cooking, cut fat of meat, fatty meats such as sausage, choosing low fat dairy, cutting down on cheese).   

Go Mediterranean!

Many health experts recommend we follow a Mediterranean diet to protect against heart disease, while recent research findings indicate following this kind of diet may reduce risk of developing cancer.  The Mediterranean diet involves cutting down on saturated fats such as fatty meat, biscuits, crisps, fried foods, cream, cheese and using monounsaturated fats instead (for example, replacing butter with an olive oil based spread), increasing fish intake (including oily fish intake for omega 3), having at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables daily, including legumes (beans, peas, lentils), including nuts, seeds and choosing wholegrains over refined carbohydrates.  The Mediterranean diet is relatively free of processed foods.