Fat facts
There are four main types of fats:
- Monounsaturated
- Polyunsaturated
- Saturated
- Trans
Unsaturated fats
These can help improve cholesterol levels by decreasing bad (LDL)cholesterol and increasing good (HDL) cholesterol. Low LDL cholesterol levels can help lower your risk of heart disease.
Foods that contain healthy fats include:
- Avocados
- Nuts such as almonds, cashews, and peanuts
- Olives
- Cooking oils made from plants or seeds, including olive, canola, peanut, sunflower, soybean, sesame, and safflower.
- Fish
- Tahini (sesame seed spread)
- Linseed (flaxseed) and chia seeds
- Spreads made from healthy oils
- Plant sterols are cholesterol-like substances that can lower cholesterol levels. They are found naturally in foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and cereals.
Saturated fats
Saturated fats (sometimes called ‘bad fats’) contribute to the risk of cardiovascular diseases (such as heart disease and stroke), because they raise our blood LDL cholesterol levels.
Saturated fats are also found in some everyday, healthy foods (such as dairy products). Unlike discretionary foods, these products have other important nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals, and can be important foods to include in your diet.
Foods that commonly contain saturated fats include:
- Butter, coconut oil and palm oil (often called vegetable oil in products)
- Processed foods, such as biscuits, cakes, pastries, pies, and takeaway foods
- Lard, ghee, copha, dripping
- Fat on meat and the skin on chicken and other poultry
- Processed or deli-style meats, such as salami, ham, and bacon
- Cream and ice cream
Trans fats
Most of the trans fats eaten in Australia are from processed foods such as:
- Deep-fried foods
- Biscuits, cakes pastries
- Butter
- Takeaway foods, such as hamburgers and pizza
- Foods that list ‘hydrogenated oils’ or ‘partially hydrogenated vegetable oils’ on the ingredients list
Easy ways to get the right balance of fats
Nuts, nuts, nuts!
Try to include some nuts (30g) every day. You can add them to salads, yoghurt, cereal, salads, and stir-fries. Choose unsalted, dry roasted or raw varieties. Nuts are a good source of monounsaturated fats, and omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fats.
Serve up some fish
Including fish or seafood in your family meals 2-3 times a week will provide a healthy dose of omega
Use healthier oils
Some oils are more suited to cooking and others help add flavour to foods.
For salad dressings and low-moderate temperature cooking (e.g., stir frying or warming food in a pan) choose olive, extra virgin olive, peanut, canola, sunflower, safflower, avocado or sesame oil.
For high-temperature cooking, especially frying, choose extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil or canola oil, which are more stable at high temperatures.
Make sure to store oils away from direct sunlight and don’t re-use oils that have already been heated.
Use healthier fat spreads
Up to 50 per cent of the fat content in butter is saturated fat and 4 per cent is trans-fat. Swap to nut butters, avocado, tahini, or margarine made from olive, canola, sunflower oils.
Limit junk food and unhealthy takeaways
Foods like biscuits, cakes, pastries, pizza, deep-fried and takeaway add the most saturated and trans-fat to Australian diets.
Trim visible fat
Cut off any fat and skin from meat, game, and poultry. This helps limit saturated and trans-fat.
Avoid processed meat
Swap processed meat such as salami and bacon with healthy protein sources, such as chickpeas, roasted or grilled meats, eggs, or canned tuna or salmon.
Eat more legumes
Eat more legumes (such as like beans, lentils, and chickpeas). Try to include legumes in at least two meals a week. Eating these in place of meat and poultry helps to limit saturated and trans-fat.
Become an avid food label reader
Check the ingredient list on food products for ‘hydrogenated oils’ or ‘partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. You should avoid these foods as they contain unhealthy trans-fats.
Source: heartfoundation.org.au
If you intend to take any action or inaction based on this information, it is recommended that you obtain your own professional advice based on your specific circumstances.
