The Skinny on Fats
We all hear the buzz that we should load up on healthy fats because they are so good for our heart and are overall "good for you", but how much is too much? It is important to eat heart healthy fats for a variety of reasons, but at the end of the day…they are still fats. Fats have plenty of calories and they can make or break your weight loss routine. Health benefits of unsaturated fats include reducing inflammation, lowering breast cancer risk, improving brain function,, decreasing risk of metabolic syndrome, curb food cravings and target belly weight. While it is a great behavior to incorporate fats into your meals, it is important to watch portion sizes.
Here is the skinny...
When choosing a fat go for unsaturated: Monounsaturated Fats: Examples include Oils, Olives, Nuts, Seeds, Avocados and Dark Chocolate.
Poly unsaturated Fats: Examples include vegetables oils such as safflower, corn, sunflower, soy and cotton seed oils.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Are a form of Polyunsaturated fats that our body cannot make on its own-that is why they are considered essential. We have to eat foods that are high in them. Examples are fat rich sea foods such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring, walnuts, flaxseeds and canola oil.
The fats to avoid are saturated fats: Saturated Fats: Animal foods are high in saturated fats such as butter, cheese, bacon and animal meats. Coconut oil, palm oil and cocoa butter are vegetarian sources of saturated fat.
Trans fat: These fats have no nutritional benefit. Food manufactures discovered that if they pump hydrogen ions (i.e. "hydrogenated") into oil and use this oil in their products the products would have an extended shelf life. Great for business, but not so good for our heart and cholesterol levels. Check food labels and read ingredients for the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" oils.
Portion sizes of healthy fats: (These are the portion sizes in one meal. They can have 3-5 portions per day)
- Oils 1 TB
- Olives 10
- Nuts 2 TB
- Seeds 2 TB
- Nut butters 2 TB
- Avocados ¼ cup
- Dark chocolate ¼ cup
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America. One in three adults has some form of heart/cardiovascular disease. Many of these deaths and risk factors are preventable such as high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, excess weight and obesity.
A healthy lifestyle while maintaining a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, quitting smoking and managing stress can lower your risk for heart disease and may prevent current heart disease from worsening.
To lower your risk of heart disease, your diet should be:
- Low in saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats are found in some meats, dairy products, baked goods and deep-fried and processed foods. Trans fats are found in some friend and unprocessed foods.
- High in omega-3 fatty acids. Foods high in omega-3s include fatty fish, walnuts, flax oil and olive oil.
- High in fiber such as adding whole grains, fruits and vegetables. A diet rich in these elements helps lower LDL cholesterol as well as provides nutrients that may help protect against heart disease.
- Low in salt and sugar. A low-salt diet can help manage blood pressure, while a low-sugar diet can help prevent weight gain and control diabetes and pre-diabetes.
Set a goal to eat 20 grams to 35 grams of fiber every day. Add vegetables to stews and casseroles, add oats to meatloaf, breads and cookies and fruit on cereal, as a snack or in salads.
The amount and kind of fat you eat makes a difference. Fat should make up 20 percent to 35 percent of your total calories, with only 10 percent coming from saturated fat. Research shows eating too much saturated fat is not good for the heart. Foods high in saturated fat include bacon, red meat, butter and ice cream.
Go for unsaturated fats in appropriate portions. Heart healthy fats include oils, nuts, seeds and avocados in serving size of 2 Tablespoons or ¼ cup.
Jae's Meal Ideas:
- Brushetta: Whole wheat bread, black olive tapenade, low fat mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato, fresh basil
- Fun snack for on-the-go: Popcorn, low fat string cheese, pumpkin seeds, apple
- Tacos: corn tortilla, lean turkey meat, beans, salsa, spinach, tomato and avocado
- Protein packed sweet: cottage cheese, berries and chocolate chips
- Great afternoon snack: Hi fiber crackers topped with almond butter and bananas
- Yummy spin on breakfast: Cinnamon raisin toast, non-fat ricotta cheese topped with pecans
As Western Athletic Club's Regional Registered Dietitian for San Francisco and Marin, Jae Berman, MS, RD motivates and empowers clients to achieve break-throughs in personal health, fitness, wellness and life-balance-on their own terms. Her goal is to create programs that allow her clients to have a positive relationship with food, and therefore a positive relationship with their bodies. Jae is also a certified personal trainer and yoga instructor, and carefully integrates her understanding of these disciplines into customized fitness programs for clients. Her specialties include nutrition for weight loss, wellness, sports nutrition, cardiovascular nutrition, digestive disorders, eating disorders and blood glucose control.
Jae holds a master's degree in Applied Physiology and Nutrition at Columbia University, and completed her dietetic internship at UCSF Medical Center. She is credentialed through the American Dietetic Association and is an ACSM Health Fitness Specialist.
>> Website: http://www.jaebermannutrition.com
