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Good Fats: Unsaturated – Mono and Poly

Some people still argue that we should avoid all fats. No! Fat is essential, necessary for nerve function, protecting the organs, essential for proper brain development and absolutely necessary for the transport and storage of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. So, a low or moderate fat diet, yes. A NO fat diet – no way!

Now it is important that we choose the correct types of fat. There are healthy fats and unhealthy fats.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans state:

Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

Why such a range of 20-35 percent? It provides that people who choose the higher range follow a higher mono- and polyunsaturated fat diet with lower amounts of carbohydrates. However, some people follow a higher carbohydrate diet (athletes for example) and the 20 percent fat is appropriate and should still be high in mono- and poly-unsaturated fats.

Why mono- and poly-unsaturated fats?

Polyunsaturated fats have a positive effect on LDL-cholesterol by helping lower it.

Monounsaturated fats have positive effects on LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol by helping lower LDL and raising HDL.

Where can you find the unsaturated fats?

• Nuts: pecans, macadamias, hazelnuts, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pinon/pine nuts, cashews, pistachios.
• Nut butters that go with the nuts above (i.e.: almond butter, peanut butter, etc.)
• Dominant in oils such as: Canola, olive, sesame, corn, safflower oils
• Seafood – such as salmon, tuna, sardines, and herring. Fresh or canned is good. Just don’t fry it.
• They are also found in avocadoes and olives.

These foods and oils are a blend of mono-, poly- and saturated fat, but the predominant fat(s) are the unsaturated fat. Remember that 1-ounce of the nuts contains between 160-200 calories and 1 tablespoon of oil is 120 calories. The avocado, while a fruit and good for you, can add up to 325 calories in a medium avocado.

These are the healthy fats – mono and poly. Make sure these dominate over the unhealthy fats. Unhealthy fats, saturated and trans-fats, next time

Eat Well, Live Well, Be Well – with 20-35% fat.

Dietary Fat – All Those Recommendations!

Over the years dietary fat has been the source of a myriad of messages and recommendations. From recommending consumption of a low-fat (before we knew there were different types of fat) to recommending a low saturated fat diet, to now no trans-fats.

As a nutrition expert it is my job to keep it straight, but I feel the pain of the general public: I too would want to throw up my arms and give up.

However, I will help distinguish the difference between the fats as we know them today and how much of each of them we should have as a portion of our calories.

First, the US Department of Health and Human Services and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) puts out the Dietary Guidelines for Americans every five years. They were last released in 2005 and will next be released in 2010. Here are the recommendations for fats from 2005.

FATS

• Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible.
• Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
• When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free.
• Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.

Lots of recommendations I know, but over the next several weeks I'll cover each of the types of fats, where they can be found, and how much of each you should aim to get (or not have).

As you read about these fats and their respective recommendations, this keep this in mind: a long time ago people thought the earth was the center of the universe; then it was discovered that the earth rotated around the sun and that the sun was the center of the universe…now of course we know the earth and the sun are both microscopic in the spectrum of the universe and nowhere near the center of the universe.

The point is, with science like astronomy and nutrition, things change as we learn through research and experience. As we learn, we have the responsibility to change our recommendations in the best interest of our clients/patients/general public.

What I tell you in this blog is based on the most current information and research we have today.

Coming next – the healthiest fat: monounsaturated fat.

Eat Well, Live Well, Be Well - with a moderate amount of fat.