Nutrition Tip of the Week 11/2

The weather is getting chilly, days are getting shorter, and most of us are starting to crave fatty, comforting foods.  Satisfy those cravings while protecting your health by choosing healthy vs. unhealthy fats!

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Fats

CHICOPEE, Mass. (Mass Appeal) – Not all fat is created equal, but which ones should you eat and which ones should you avoid? Dr. Laura Christoph, Professor of Nutrition, gave us a lesson in healthy fats.

Healthy Fats

Fat we don’t get enough of:

Omega-3’s! Omega 3’s are highly anti-inflammatory and are associated with decreased cardiovascular disease and cancer risk, as well as healthy skin and eyes.
Monounsaturated fat-The Meditteranean Diet, which includes olive oil as a major food group, is quite high in this healthy fat, and is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
Saturated fat and omega 6’s: Saturated should be eaten in moderation. People should also be careful with omega 6 fat intake, as we tend to get too high of a ratio of omega 6 to omega 3.
Trans fat -this highly processed fat has been linked to cardiovascular disease. Check the labels for “hydrogenated oils” This is a sign that there is trans fat in your product. Companies are sneaky. If there is less than 0.5g of trans fat per serving, they can write “0” on the nutrition facts label.

Sources: Fatty fish, fish oil, flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts

Fat to encourage:

Sources: Peanuts, olive oil, avocado, canola oil

Fats to reduce:

Animal fats (solid fats) like cheese, butter, beef fat, and whole milk

Omega 6 sources: nuts and seeds, corn oil, and soybean oil.

Fat to never eat: 

Food source examples: margarine, Crisco, packaged foods like chips and cookies, and fast food (although many fast food restaurants have eliminated trans fats from their products).