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Fats & Cholesterol

Fats

All fats are a combination of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Each offers some health benefit to the body. The American Heart Association recommends limiting total fat to no more than 30%, 10% of which can come from saturated fat.

Saturated Fats are found in both animal and plant products. Sources include red meats and dairy products and tropical oils like coconut and palm oil and cocoa butter. Saturated fat is believed harmful because it raises LDL– the “Unhealthy” cholesterol. High levels of LDL increase risk for heart disease. However, some saturated fat may be beneficial for protection against stroke.

Polyunsaturated Fats are found in vegetable oils. Sources include corn, safflower and soybean oils and cold water fish. Polyunsaturated fats have both good and bad properties. While these fats lower LDL and total cholesterol, they also lower HDL - the "Healthy" cholesterol. Lowering HDL is not a desirable feature. That is why it's important to eat a combination of both mono and poly-unsaturated oils. Essential fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat with special features. These fatty acids promote a healthy immune system and help protect against heart disease and other diseases. Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid found in cold water fish like tuna, salmon, mackeral and cod. Omega-6 is an essential fatty acid found in flax seed oil (look for this in the refrigerator section of health food stores).

Monunsaturated Fats are found in plant oils. Sources include olive, canola and peanut oils. Monounsaturated fats protect HDL levels, the “Healthy” cholesterol. It is less susceptible to oxidation than polyunsaturated oils. This makes monounsaturated fats a heart-healthy choice. (Oxidation is believed to be a causative factor in the formation of atheroslerotic placque lesions on blood vessel walls). A recent study demonstrated a lower incident of heart disease in women who ate an ounce of nuts a day. The researchers speculated that the nuts were a good source of monounsaturated fat and, therefore, helped protect healthy HDL levels.

Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats – also called “TRANS-FATS”–is a new cause for concern. Hydrogenation is a chemical process that changes a liquid vegetable oil into one that is more solid at room temperature. Hard stick margarine is a trans-fat. These are not naturally occurring fats.

Trans-fats are listed as "hydrogenated" or " partially hydrogenated" oils under the ingredients section of food labels. Trans-fats prolong shelf life and are found in many commercially prepared bakery items (e.g. cookies, cakes, crackers and other snack foods) and in processed peanut butter. A recent, large-scale study revealed that trans-fats raised LDL levels even higher than saturated fats. When buying margarine, choose one that is more liquid at room temperature. Tub margarine, and margarine from a squeeze or spray bottle have little or no trans-fats. Limit foods with hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fat. Learn how to read and interpret food labels because, while total fat, saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat are all listed on the USDA Nutrition Facts Food Label, Trans-fats are not. You must read the ingredients section to see if a product contains hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat.

Cholesterol

What is Cholesterol? Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance carried in the blood stream and is found in every cell of the body. It is used to make hormones, build cell walls, insulate neurons and produce bile acid.

Cholesterol is essential for life.The liver produces all the cholesterol the body needs. Cholesterol in the food you eat adds extra cholesterol to the body. Feedback mechanisms regulate the manufacture of cholesterol by the liver, responding to dietary intake of cholesterol.

Dietary cholesterol is found in foods of animal origin and in whole fat dairy products. Cholesterol content is listed on food labels. The recommended limit is 300 mg/day or 200 mg/day for those with known heart disease.

A recent study reported on the effect of eating eggs on blood cholesterol levels (egg yolks contain cholesterol). This large-scale study found only minimal, if any, increase in blood cholesterol levels for egg-eaters. Ask your healthcare practitioner if you need to limit eggs in your diet.

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