Not everyone realizes there’s a distinction between fats that are good for us and fats that are not. In fact, some fats are essential to our diets and we can’t live without them. The word “fat” has a negative connotation, especially when well marketed products influence us to buy “diet,” “non-fat,” “light”/”lite,” or “low fat” foods. The truth is, these “diet” foods aren’t any better for us, and compensate with processed sugar to still taste okay. Sugar and processed foods, not so much fat, is the real problem with our diets.
To break it down, there are four different types of fat. Two of these types are “good fats” and the other “bad fats.”
Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are good for us. They benefit the heart, cholesterol, and overall health.
Saturated fats and trans fats are bad for us. They increase the likelihood of disease and high cholesterol.
Beneficial fats are found in the following foods:
Monounsaturated Fats:
-avocados
-nuts (almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, peanuts)
-olives
-oils (olive oil, canola, sunflower, peanut, sesame oil)
-Peanut Butter
Polyunsaturated fats:
-walnuts
-soymilk
-tofu
-flaxeed
-oils (soybean, corn, safflower)
-sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds
-fatty fishes (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, sardines, trout)
-flaxeed
Saturated Fat:
-chicken with the skin
-fatty cuts of meat (beef, lamb, pork)
-whole fat dairy products (cream, milk)
-butter
-lard
-cheese
-lard
*A note about saturated fat- there has been controversy surrounding the argument that all saturated fat is bad for our health. It’s true that substituting saturated fats for polyunsaturated fats is much healthier. Use olive oil instead of butter, for example, but do not replace your saturated fats with processed food, like a muffin or bagel in the morning instead of bacon. Just don’t eat bacon all the time.
There are also newer studies that argue whole fat dairy products may actually keep us lean and decrease the chances of obesity. One possibility is that whole fat dairy products keep us fuller longer, thus lessening the amount we consume. That doesn’t mean go out and eat tons of whole fat dairy, especially for those of us who already have high cholesterol levels. (Source: NPR: The Full Fat Paradox)
Trans Fat:
-stick margarin
-packaged snack foods (crackers, microwave popcorn, chips, cookies)
-commercially baked pastries (doughnuts, cookies, cakes, pizza dough)
-vegetable shortening
-fried foods
-candy bars
(Source: HelpGuide.org)
All the stuff I crave is on the bad list. Why is that?
JeKee, you are not alone! If your body is craving the foods on the “naughty” list, try incorporating foods with some extra fat. For example, if you currently eat non-fat yogurt, try eating 2% yogurt. Sometimes we just need to listen to what our bodies need, especially if it’s not all the time.
If, however, you’re eating too much from the trans fat and saturated fats list, add more vegetables and nutrition foods to your diet, thus crowding out unhealthy foods. When we fill up on foods that are good for us first, then we aren’t as hungry for the junk. I’ll be posting some new healthy recipes this week that you can try, but if you ever have more questions, please ask!
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