What Makes Fat Healthy?

Fat is one of the 3 macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and protein that are essential in our diet. Fats provide us with energy, balances our hormones, transports fat-soluble vitamins, and forms our cell membranes, brain and nervous system. They are made up of carbon and hydrogen elements bonded together and the different lengths and the bonds determine the fat type. The simplest unit of fat is called the fatty acid, and there are two general types of fatty acids: saturated and unsaturated.

Rather than thinking of good fats and bad fats, think of fats on a spectrum of most often and less often.

Types of fat on a spectrum:

- Most often – Unsaturated Fats

• These are fats that are liquid at room temperature

• They raise our good cholesterol and decrease our bad cholesterol

• Good cholesterol (HDL) removes fat build up in our veins and bad cholesterol (LDL) deposits fat in our veins.

• Examples of unsaturated fats: Plant oils – mono, poly (omegas)

o Canola

o Olive

o Avocado

o Grapeseed…etc.

- Middle of the road more often – Margarine

• Margarine is made from plant oils, therefore there is very low saturated fat.

• Oils used to go through a process of hydrogenation, which made trans fats, but now they add palm kernel oil to help its spreadability.

• Most margarines now are non-hydrogenated also meaning no trans fats.

- Middle of the road less often – Plant fats solid at room temp

• Plant fats that are solid at room temp have a lot of saturated fats, therefore they would increase the bad cholesterol and decrease the good cholesterol.

• Examples of saturated plant oils:

o Coconut oil

o Palm kernel oil

- Less often – Saturated fats

• These are fats that are solid at room temperature and increase the bad cholesterol and decrease the good cholesterol the most out of all types of fat.

• Animal fats are the main source of saturated fat.

• Examples of saturated fats:

o Fattier sources of meat such as pork, skin on chicken, marbling in beef

o Butter

o Eggs

o Regular fat milk

o Cheese

o Cream

o Other dairy products made with whole or reduced fat (2%) milk

So what makes fats healthy?

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are what most people refer to as “healthy” fats. But our ancestors used to eat a wide variety of fats including saturated fats from fatty tissues such as blubber, organs and brains. So a better definition of “healthy” fat would be relatively unprocessed fats from whole foods. If we are choosing foods where fats are naturally occurring that is great = “healthy” fats. If a food has been modified, added or created through an industrial process, then it is likely to be an “unhealthy” fat. For example:

- Trans fats – created in an industrial process that forces hydrogens into vegetable oils, which makes them more solid. Common foods that contain trans fats:

• Partially hydrogenated margarine

• Fried or battered foods

• Frozen dinners and other processed foods

So it all comes down to our lovely word: moderation. Knowing which fats to chose most often is how you can learn to eat healthy fats. Unsure which food has the healthier fat? Think about which food is in its most natural form. Consuming a variety of natural occurring fats and following the above fat spectrum with your MyPlate guidelines will ensure you are making the correct portions of fat for each meal.