What are fats?
You may have heard that fat is bad for you, but that's not the whole story. Your body actually needs some fat to perform many vital functions, like keeping your cells healthy, absorbing vitamins, and synthesizing hormones. Fats also provide energy to the body, being the most calorically dense macronutrient at 9 calories per gram!
Not all fats are the same. Some fats may help reduce the risk of disease, while others may raise your risk for disease. Let us break down the different kinds of fat, where they come from, and how to choose the right ones for your well-being.
Types of fat
There are four kinds of fats: saturated, unsaturated, trans, and omega 3. Here is a quick rundown of each one:
Saturated fat is usually solid at room temperature and is found mostly in animal products, such as meat, cheese, butter, and cream. Saturated fat can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and may negatively impact metabolic health. We recommend limiting your intake of saturated fat to no more than 7-10% of your total calories per day.
Unsaturated fat is usually liquid at room temperature and is found mostly in plant-based foods, such as nuts, seeds, oils, and avocados. Unsaturated fat can help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and increase your HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Unsaturated fat can be further divided into two subtypes: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Monounsaturated fat is found in foods such as olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, almonds, cashews, and peanuts.
Polyunsaturated fat is found in foods such as soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, walnuts, flaxseeds, and fish.
Trans fat is a type of fat that is artificially created. Trans fats are usually solid or semi-solid at room temperature and found mostly in processed foods, such as baked goods, snacks, margarine, and fried foods. Trans fat can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, lower your HDL (good) cholesterol levels, and increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. While the use of trans fat in food products has been banned since 2018, some foods may still contain lesser amounts of trans fat. We would recommend avoiding trans fat as much as possible.
Omega-3 fat is considered essential, as your body cannot make it on its own. There are three main types of omega-3 fatty acids: ALA, EPA, and DHA. ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) is a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid that you can get from foods like flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans. It's also called a short-chain omega-3 fatty acid, because it has a shorter molecular structure than the other two types. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are marine-based omega-3 fatty acids that you can get from foods like fatty fish, fish oil, algae, and krill oil. They are also called long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, because they have a longer molecular structure than ALA.
Tips to limiting saturated and trans fats
Here are six tips to help you limit your intake of saturated and trans fats:
Read the nutrition labels of packaged foods and look for the amount of saturated fat and trans fat per serving.
Limit your intake of fried foods, especially those that are cooked in partially hydrogenated oils, which may contain trans fat.
Choose baked, grilled, steamed, or roasted foods instead of fried foods.
Choose leaner cuts of meat and poultry.
Include more foods that are high in unsaturated fat and omega-3 fat in your diet, such as nuts, seeds, avocados, and fish.
Eat a balanced and varied diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.
It is also important to note that the impact of your saturated fat intake on your health depends on your chosen goal. For example, landing a bit above the recommendations for saturated fat in a calorie deficit will have less negative effect as those calories are being used as energy. Conversely, aiming to be at the lower end of saturated fat recommendations in a gain weight goal may be an appropriate consideration.
By knowing the different kinds of fat, where they are found, and why you should limit saturated and trans fats, you can make educated choices when building your meals!