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FATS The Good, the Bad and the Ugly! -

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DON’T FEAR YOUR FATS!!

Fats have had a bad rap over the years, but it’s the unhealthy fats (saturated, trans fats) that are

the real culprits. Replace the bad fats with good fats, and you’ll boost your metabolism and your

energy! Besides, you need (healthy) fat to burn fat! True!

Polyunsaturated Fats – particularly Omega 3’s and 6’s

Omega fatty acids are just recently getting their time in the spotlight, and with good reason.

Improve skin and hair, and aids eczema and psoriasis

Thins blood, so decrease in blood clotting

Decreases blood pressure

Regulates immune system

Decreases depression and neurological disorders

Decreases cholesterol and blood triglycerides

Produce prostaglandins 1 and 3:destroy breast, prostate, lung cancer cells

Needed for normal development of brain function and learning (use in ADHD therapy)

Decreases inflammation (important for athletes and non-athletes alike).

Helps us to burn fat!

The best sources of these include: Fish: (also rich in EPA, a healthy oil, found in high amounts in wild salmon).Sources: wild

salmon, tuna, swordfish, sardines, mackerel, anchovies, herring, bass, trout

Flax oil and seeds

hemp oil and seeds

other sources – grape seed oil, walnuts, soybeans, organic corn

be wary of the ‘S’- oils – sunflower, sesame and safflower, - as we often over consume them,

throwing the delicate balance of Omega 3’s to 6’s off. They’re also often genetically modified.

Monounsaturated fats are also the good guys, lowering cholesterol levels and sourced from

avocado, nuts, olive oil, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, cashews, walnuts, and canola oil (non-refined).

Saturated fats have been given a bad rap, because of their supposed cholesterol-raising

abilities. But if one eats wild, organic meats, the levels of saturated fats are minimal, the fat

doesn’t harbor dangerous antibiotics and hormones (as does commercial meats – it’s a standard

practice), and the levels of healthy Omega fats are much higher. So choose wild or local meats

at all times. You’ll also taste the difference! Coconut oil is also a saturated fat, and is one of the

healthiest fats you can eat. The best to cook with at high heats!

Trans fats – The Ugly. These nasty stabilizing fats are found in cookies, candy, crackers,

fast food and processed foods…any food that sits in your cupboard for a long time needs trans fats to

stop it from going bad in a few days. Anything that says ‘hydrogenated’ or ‘modified’ is a trans fat, so

read your labels. And remember, if a food has less than 2 grams of trans fats in a serving (ie one Oreo

cookie) the label can legally say there’s zero (0) trans fats! Read The Oreo Cookie Story!

So eat your healthy fats, and ditch the man-made dry goods in your cupboard, and the

deep fried take out fare, now! You can also supplement with EFA’s (healthy fats called essential

fatty acids,) from the health food store, with 2000-4000mg/day (2 to 4 capsules). Fast, easy, inexpensive.

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Cooking with Fats and Oils

Fats and oils are essential to optimal health. They are important building blocks for the cells of

your body, as well as hormones. Just as with all foods, you must consume high-quality fats and

oils for your body to effectively use them. The following is a list of the heat-rate of certain oils.

Cooking with Oils - always use unrefined organic oils!

No Heat (up to 120° F / 49° C)

Flax Seed Oil

Borage Oil

Hemp Seed Oil

Cod Liver Oil

Low Heat (up to 212° F / 100° C) – Baking*

Safflower Oil

Sunflower Oil

Pumpkin Oil

Medium Heat (325° F / 163° C) – Light sautéing

Sesame Oil

Pistachio Oil

Hazelnut Oil

Olive Oil

High Heat (379° F / 190°C) – Frying**, browning

Coconut Oil

Ghee (clarified butter)

Palm Oil

Lard

*When baking breads and muffins at temperatures around 325° F / 163° C, the moisture keeps

the inside temperature under 212 ° F / 100° C.

**When frying, always put oil into a cold pan and turn the heat up gradually.

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The Oreo Cookie Story! ~ or when a label’s not a label ~

What are Trans Fats?

Basically, trans fats are made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil--a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats.

Where can they be found?

Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Unlike other fats, the majority of trans fat is formed when food manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. A small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in dairy products, some meat, and other animal-based foods.

What are the Dangers?

Trans fat, like saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, raises the LDL cholesterol that increases your risk for heart disease. It is also implicated in altering our DNA. Canadians consume on average 4 to 5 times as much saturated fat as trans fat in their diets.

What Can You Do About Saturated Fat, Trans Fat, and Cholesterol?

When comparing foods, look at the Nutrition Facts panel, and choose the food with the lower amounts of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. Health experts recommend that you keep your intake of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. However, they recognize that eliminating these three components entirely from your diet is not practical because they are unavoidable in ordinary diets.

Can You Find Trans Fat on the Food Label?

Yes, but remember, labels can be deceiving. It’s legal to show zero trans fats on a label if there is less than 2 grams of trans fat in a serving.

For example, one Oreo cookie has 1.8 grams of trans fats, but because the manufacturers make a serving size as one cookie, it holds under 2 gms of trans fats, but legally they can put 0 trans fat on the label.

But who ever eats one Oreo cookie? So, if you eat 5 cookies, you’re getting 9 grams of trans fats, and you don’t even know it. Now that’s fancy foot-work on behalf of Health Canada and Mr. Christie!

Remember, if the list of ingredients says hydrogenated or modified oils, it’s a trans fat in disguise.

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Percent of Fatty Acids

Saturated Fats Monounsaturated Polyunsaturated (Omega 3’s)

Beef fat 51 44 4

Butter 54 30 4

Canola Oil 6 62 31

Chicken Fat 30 47 22

Coconut Oil 77 6 2

Corn Oil 13 25 62

Cottonseed Oil 27 19 54

** Flaxseed Oil 9 18 73

Lard 41 47 12

Margarine 18 48 29

Olive Oil, extra

virgin

14 77 9

Palm Oil 51 39 10

Peanut Oil 13 49 33

Safflower Oil 10 13 76

Sesame Oil 13 46 41

Soybean Oil 15 24 61

Sunflower Oil 11 20 69

Vegetable

Shortening

26 43 25

Walnut Oil 16 28 56

Karen’s Omega-3 Garlic & Dijon Dressing

Most commercial dressings are loaded with chemicals, and those that are ‘fat-free’ are even

worse! And while olive oil is a nice, versatile oil for dressings, it is void of the ever-important

Omega 3’s which our bodies are chronically short of.

For a nice change, try Karen’s Omega-3 Garlic & Dijon dressing. It’ll boost your body’s Omega-

3’s, for a nice, healthy treat.

3 ounces flax seed oil or Udo’s Oil (found at health food stores)

1 ½ - 2 ounces balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced and crushed

1 TBSP parmesan cheese (or to taste)

1 TBSP Dijon mustard (or to taste)

Shake and stir together and pour over any salad, just prior to serving.

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Fats - Top 10 Tips

Summary

1) You need fat to burn fat. If you go low-fat, you will weaken your immune system, lose energy, and will hold onto fat on the body.

2) Healthy fats are the monounsaturated (liquid at room temperature), polyunsaturated fats (omega 3’s and 6’s) and even some saturated fats.

3) Unhealthy fats are the trans fats (man-made fats found in deep fried foods, fast foods, designer coffees and many packaged goods).

4) The other 2 names for trans fats that will appear on a label is hydrogenated and modified. You often do not see the words trans fats on labels anymore. Beware!

5) Not all saturated fats are bad – we need them because they strengthen bone, organs and the immune system and creates healthy hormones (in particular, testosterone to build muscle), but it must be from clean (local or organic) sources.

6) The saturated fat content in commercial meats is unhealthy fat and is high (75%) whereas the healthy omega 3 fats in commercial meats is low (25%). This is because commercial animals are fed grains, rather than their native grasses.

7) The saturated fat content in local / organic / grass fed meats is healthy fat and is low (25%), unlike in commercial meats (75%). This is because commercial animals are fed grains (bad) and local / organic animals are fed grasses with omega 3’s

8) The fat in eggs does not add to cholesterol in the body. A poorly functioning liver, and trans fats, are the culprit here.

9) Coconut oil is a saturated fat but it is a healthy one, and burns clean in the body. It does NOT add to cholesterol in the body.

10) The best sources of the healthy polyunsaturated fats (omega 3’s) are fish, flax oil and hemp oil. Eat them every day (1-2 TBSP or fatty fish 3x a week).

Remember, make fats about 20-30% of your total caloric intake! (This may be higher, if you are in menopausal, or if your carb intake is low, as set by a qualified coach).