Unsaturated fats are the good fats to human body and fats are essential for maintaining body functions such as storage for energy, act as protection for important organ and helps in transportation of vitamins within the human body. By replacing saturated fats and trans fat with unsaturated fats in your diet are linked to lower risk of heart diseases and reduce your cholesterol level.
Polyunsaturated fats:
Omega-3
Omega-3 fats cut down the clotting of blood in your blood vessels and prevent the hardening of blood vessels. Thus, lower your blood pressure level and reduce the risk of heart diseases.
Foods rich in omega-3:
Salmon
Sardines
Chia seeds
Canola oil
Food products fortified with omega-3
Omega-6
Omega-6 fats help reduce bad cholesterol level (LDL) and promotes a strong and healthy heart.
Foods rich in omega-6:
Sweetcorn
Soya beans
Sunflower oil
Rapeseed
Almond
Monounsaturated fats:
Monounsaturated fats support maintaining of good cholesterol level (HDL) in your body and at the same time lowering the bad cholesterol level (LDL).
Foods rich in monounsaturated
fats:
Avocado
Brazil nuts
Olive oil
Hazelnuts
Sesame oil
To achieve a healthy and balanced diet, moderate intake of good fats is important. Too much of good fats will also lead to an excess of calories intake that causes weight gained. Always remember to choose unsaturated fats foods over trans fats and saturated fats foods.
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The most unhealthy type of fat is trans fat, as trans fat increases the bad cholesterol level (Low-density lipoprotein) while reducing your good cholesterol level (High-density lipoprotein). Diet with high intake of trans fat is strongly linked to the blood vessel and heart diseases. There are so many negative impacts comes along with intake of trans fat which lead to a ban of artificial trans fat in all foods product in Singapore by Health Promotion Board starting from June 2021.
What is trans fat?
Natural trans fat: Trans fat can be found naturally from certain dairy items and meat in a small amount. However, the effect of trans fat found naturally will be harmful or benefits to your body is still unknown.
Artificial trans fat: During the food processing, the manufacturer will add hydrogen into vegetable oil which results in the oil turn to solid while at room temperature. Food cooked with this oil will have a greater shelf life.
Major
sources of trans fat:
Deep-fried foods: chicken nugget, fries and doughnuts
Snack: popcorn, potato chips and chocolate bars
Baked products: cakes, biscuits and pies
Non-dairy creamer
Margarine and vegetable shortenings
Convenient meals: Instant noodles and frozen pizzas
Ways
to cut down on trans fat intake:
Go through the food nutrition label carefully and buy the product option with no or lowest saturated fat
Avoid the purchase of snacks and junk food
Eat more vegetables and fruits and cut down on red meats as they contain natural trans fat
Pick healthier cooking oils like sunflower and olive oil
Buy products with Healthier Choice Symbol
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Mayo Clinic. 2020. Trans Fat: Double Trouble For Your Heart. [online] Available at: <https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/trans-fat/art-20046114>
Do you know that there are different types of fat that can have different impacts on your health? Both saturated fat and trans fat are unhealthy fats, which are normally in solid-state while in room temperature. A diet with a high intake of saturated fat will lead to stroke, heart disease and other health issues. This is due to saturated fat will increases ‘bad’ cholesterol level (known as LDL-cholesterol) in your body.
Major intakes of saturated fat are from:
Animal fat: meats with skin, fatty cut of meat and sausages
Deep-fried dishes: fries, fried chicken and onion rings
Coconut: coconut cream, coconut milk and coconut oil
Full-fat dairy foods: butter, yogurt, cheese, milk and ghee
Dishes cooks with palm-based oil
Dessert: chocolate, cake and ice cream
How much saturated fat can you have?
According to Health Promotion Board, the recommended intake of saturated fats is no more than 21g every day for a healthy man aged from 19 to 60 years old while for a healthy woman is no more than 17g a day.
How to reduce saturated fat in your daily intake?
Read the food nutrition label and pick the option with lowest saturated fat
Limit your deep-fried food intake, steam, boil or bake your food instead
Pick the leaner part of meat such as chicken breast or beef tenderloin
Go for reduced-fat or fat-free dairy products such as non-fat milk or low-fat cheese
Cook with olive or canola oil rather than butter
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There are 4 types of dietary fat, and each type of fat have different effects on health.
Based on a journal article by Skerrett and Willett, 2012, ‘dietary fat per se is not associated with risk of chronic diseases’; diet consisting 40% calories from fat can be healthy if they are low in trans fat and saturated fat, and high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. To date, the specific proportion of optimal dietary fat intake is still unknown.
Consume walnuts and fatty fishes like salmon for omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids that may aid in the management of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
Most people think of fat as ‘bad’, but do you know that our bodies cannot function properly without some fat? Fat function as an energy store, a cushion for vital organs and act as a transport carrier for fat-soluble vitamins – Vitamin A, D, E and K. Fats are also needed for healthy hair and skin! However, fat is a concentrated source of energy – 1g of fat equates to 9 kcal compared to 4 kcal for carbohydrates and proteins, and high intake of fat provide excess calories, leading to weight gain and obesity, thereby increasing the risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes.
How much fat should I eat?
Based on the Dietary Recommended Allowance in Singapore, the total fat intake should be limited to 25 to 30% of total calorie intake. This equates to 55 to 65g of fat for a person with a 2000kcal diet.
How many types of fat are there?
There are 3 major types of fat – saturated fat, unsaturated fat and trans fat. Each type of fat will be described in detail in future health articles.
Do you know?
Look out for the Healthier Oil Label issued by Health Promotion Board across our outlets!
