Nutrition – Good Fat vs. Bad Fat

This series of articles deals with nutrition. We’ve all heard
the old saying ‘you are what you eat’, so let’s take a good long
look at what we’re putting in our bodies.

Most of us WANT to eat healthier, but sometimes it seems that
forces are working against us. Fast food is just so tempting.
Sally at the office brought donuts to share again. Our schedule
is so busy we don’t have time to cook healthy food. Finally,
it’s true that junk food is often less expensive than healthy
food. How fair is that?

Today’s topic is fat. Not all fat is bad! As a matter of fact,
some fats are downright good for you. The key is understanding
the difference between the two.

GOOD FAT:

Over the years, Americans have been fed different stories about
choosing the right foods for optimum health. When researchers
warned that too much fat in your diet leads to cardiovascular
disease, diabetes and a host of other health problems, Americans
jumped on the low fat, no fat bandwagon with little success.

New studies reveal that we must have some fat in our diet for
good health and reduction of disease. The omega-3 fatty acids
are said to be ‘essential’ because they can not be produced by
the body and must be obtained through our food sources.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids can come from either plant or
marine sources. They can be found in fish and fish oil,
unrefined vegetable oils, raw nuts, seeds and beans. Linolenic
acid, the marine source, can be found in certain fatty fish such
as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and
salmon. These fish and fish oil supplements contain bioavailable
docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) acid, the two
kinds of omega-3 essential fatty acids crucial to good health.

The plant based omega-3 essential fatty acid is alpha linolenic
acid (alpha meaning plant) and can be found in omega-3 rich oils
such as flaxseed, canola, soybean and walnut oils. These plant
sourced omega-3 EFAs don’t metabolize in the body like fish oil.
They need to be broken down by the body’s enzymatic system into
DHA and EPA before the body can reap its powerful benefits.
Flaxseed oil, the plant source highest in omega-3s, is a great
alternative for vegetarians and those who can’t tolerate fish or
fish oil capsules.

BAD FAT:

The worst kinds of fat are trans fats and saturated fats.

“Trans-fatty acids are bad for hearts and arteries. They drive
up production of cholesterol like saturated-fatty acids [i.e.
like butter, animal fat, etc.], and promote atherosclerosis… I
am certain that TFA’s will eventually be found to be detrimental
to health in many other ways as a result of their effect on
membrane and hormone function. I believe they promote the
development of cancer and degenerative disease, increase
inflammation, accelerate aging, and obstruct immunity and
healing. Therefore, I make a scrupulous attempt to keep them out
of my diet, and I urge you to do the same. In practice that
means avoiding margarine, vegetable shortening, and all products
made with them or with partially hydrogenated oils of any kind.”
[Dr. Andrew Weil from his book: Eating Well for Optimum Health"
pp. 90-93:]

How do you spot transfatty acids? Look for “hydrogenated” or
“partially hydrogenated” in the list of ingredients. They’re all
over the place.

THE COST:

It is possible to eat more healthy fats without breaking the
bank. Yes, fish is fairly expensive when compared to other
meats, but a healthier diet doesn’t have to be expensive.

Some money-saving ideas on this topic:

1) Buy fish on sale.

2) Many grocers sell flash-frozen fillets which taste almost as
good as fresh, but cost a whole lot less.

3) Ask the butcher when fish is ‘cheapest’. Prices can vary
widely throughout the year. Stock up when the price is right.

4) Shop the ads. Buy fish only when it’s on sale, even if you
have to visit a store other than your favorite.

5) Buy the ‘whole fish’, which is always less expensive than
buying fillets or fish steaks.

6) Be very careful to shop price when looking for flax seed.
Bulk flax seed at the local supermarket typically sells for 89
cents per pound. The exact same flax seed at a national health
food store sells for $9.99 per pound. Sure, the health food
store sells it in a pretty gold bag – but $9.99 per pound? Who
are they kidding?

7) If you can’t stand the taste of fish, consider fish oil or
flax seed oil supplements. Affordable and easy to swallow, these
are a great alternative.

8) Walnuts are an excellent source of good fats. Buy in bulk to
save money. Even better, stock up during the holidays when
they’re on sale.

9) Don’t be afraid to use coupons. Check your Sunday newspaper
for coupon inserts.

10) Finally, look for a ‘sell by’ sale. Fish (and other
perishable items) are required by law to state a ‘sell by’ date.
This is the day by which the retailer must sell that product.
Often times, a grocer will dramatically reduce the price of fish
(or other items) on the ‘sell by date’…..they either sell it
below cost or lose all their money the next day (it is a health
code violation to sell perishable items past their sell by date).

We’ve barely scratched the surface of this topic: good fat vs.
bad fat. It would be a good idea for each of us to do some more
research on fats and how they can impact our health.

1. Prev:Low Carbohydrate Diet – a scientifically Proven Method?
2. Next:Diet free weight loss: Lose weight the smarter way