Dietary fats have received a bad reputation in the past. However, not all fats are bad for you! In fact certain fats are important for heart health as well as a healthy body. Healthy dietary fats are responsible for healthy hair and skin, protection of internal organs, storage of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K among other things. Each gram of fat contains 9 calories, more than twice that of a gram of protein or carbohydrate (4 calories/gram). For this reason fats should be consumed in small portions, incorporating more of the “healthy” fats and less of the “unhealthy” fats in your diet will help you optimize health.
Fats to avoid are referred to as saturated fat and trans fat. These fats are usually easily to identify as they are solid at room temperature. Saturated Fat • Saturated fat is usually from animal sources. • Try to consume approximately 7-10% of your daily calories which equate to about 15-22 grams for a 2000 calorie/day intake • Saturated and trans fat sources include high fat dairy products and meats, poultry skin, butter/lard, gravy, coconut oil, palm oil Trans Fat • Trans fat is even worse than saturated fat! Even foods labeled “trans fat free” may have a small amount. Stay away from foods with “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils on the ingredient list. • Trans Fats usually come from sources such as snack crackers, potato chips, fried foods, baked goods etc. • Ideally avoid these foods like the plague. They are usually not nutrient dense choices and harmful to your health. Healthy Fats Healthy fats help increase HDL (good) cholesterol in the blood, which helps remove build-up of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the arteries. More HDL and less LDL promote heart health. Mono-unsaturated fat ° These fats can be consumed to promote increased health however keep in mind they still have 9 calories per gram and can quickly put you over your daily caloric intake. ° Unsaturated fats are found in foods such as olive, canola, and peanut oils, avocado, olives, nuts and seeds Poly-Unsaturated Fats • Two types of poly-unsaturated fats include omega 3 and omega 6 fats. ° Omega 3 fats come in 3 forms: EPA, DHA, and ALA. EPA and DHA have the most research to support their role in preventing heart disease. • Ideally try to consume sources like fish twice a week. Use other sources in moderation. • Good sources of poly-unsaturated fats include EPA and DHA come from egg yolks (depending on the chicken feed) and cold-water fish and shellfish such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, herring, trout, cod, crab, shrimp, and oysters. ALA comes from plant sources such as walnuts, flaxseed, canola, and soybean oils. • Omega 6 fats also prevent heart disease but too much may lead to inflammation and blood clotting. • 5-10% of calories per day (about 12 g/day for women and 17g/day for men) • Good sources include flaxeed, canola, and soybean oils Total Fat intake should be no more than 20-35%* of your total calories for the day. Most of these fats should be from the good/healthy category above. Since fat has more calories per gram than carbohydrates or protein, even healthy fats should be consumed in moderation. *To figure your fat requirement-multiply your daily calorie total by the % fat you desire. Divide that number by 9. (i.e. the total fat intake for a person on a 2000 calorie diet aiming for 20% fat would be 2000 x 0.20 = 400. 400/9 = 44 grams of fat) **information compiled from ace.org
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Josh McCabeAs a Personal Trainer, I am here to help you live the healthiest life style possible! This includes eating habits, workouts and just living well! Ask questions, share ideas and cheer one another on! Categories |
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