Myths and facts about fats...
Myth: All fats are equal—and equally bad for you.
Fact: Saturated fats and trans fats are bad for you because they raise your cholesterol and increase your risk for heart disease. But monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are good for you, lowering cholesterol and reducing your risk of heart disease.
Myth: Lowering the amount of fat you eat is what matters the most.
Fact: The mix of fats that you eat, rather than the total amount in your diet, is what matters most when it comes to your cholesterol and health. The key is to eat more good fats and less bad fats.
Myth: Fat-free means healthy.
Fact: A “fat-free” label doesn’t mean you can eat all you want without consequences to your waistline. Many fat-free foods are high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and calories.
Myth: Eating a low-fat diet is the key to weight loss.
Fact: The obesity rates for Americans have doubled in the last 20 years, coinciding with the low-fat revolution. Cutting calories is the key to weight loss, and since fats are filling, they can help curb overeating.
Good fats vs. bad fats
There are four major types of fats:
- monounsaturated fats
- polyunsaturated fats
- saturated fats
- trans fats
Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are known as the “good fats” because they are good for your heart, your cholesterol, and your overall health.
GOOD FATS | |
Monounsaturated fat | Polyunsaturated fat |
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How to tell the difference if you don't know...
...saturated fats and trans fats tend to be solid at room temperature (think of butter or traditional stick margarine) monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats tend to be liquid (think of olive or corn oil)....
Saturated fats and trans fats are known as the “bad fats” because they increase your risk of disease and elevate cholesterol.
BAD FAT | |
Saturated fat | Trans fat |
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...General guidelines for choosing healthy fats...
With so many different sources of dietary fat—some good and some bad—the choices can get confusing. But the bottom line is simple: don’t go no-fat, go good fat.
If you are concerned about your weight or heart health, rather than avoiding fat in your diet, try replacing saturated fats and trans fats with good fats.
This might mean replacing some of the meat you eat with beans and legumes or butter with olive oil.
I know this may tug on your heart strings a little bit for those red meat eaters out there (cough cough, my boyfriend).
- Try to eliminate trans fats from your diet. This means limiting fast food, baked goods, and most everything that comes in a box.
- Limit your intake of saturated fats by cutting back on red meat and full-fat dairy foods. Try replacing red meat with beans, nuts, poultry, and fish. Switch from whole milk and other full-fat dairy foods to lower fat versions. (i.e. Skim, Soy Milk, Almond Milk, and Hemp Milk)
- Eat omega-3 fats every day. Good sources include fish, walnuts, ground flax seeds, flaxseed oil, canola oil, and soybean oil. (also adding an Omega-3 supplement to your daily diet will do wonders for your brain power and ability to focus)For more info, please look at this website which is a great source of information.
