The fat you consume in your diet affects your blood cholesterol levels. Various types of dietary fats, referred to as "fatty acids," affect blood cholesterol in different ways. Some affect cholesterol in a positive, healthy way, and others affect blood cholesterol in a negative, unhealthy way. Ideally, you should consume more healthy fatty acids than you do unhealthy fatty acids to keep blood cholesterol at healthy levels.
Cholesterol Levels
You have good and bad cholesterol. Keep the bad, LDL cholesterol (low density lipoprotein), low. Think "L" for "low." Recommendations from the American Heart Association say a level less than 100 mg/dL is optimal and that it should generally not go above 130 mg/dL. Keep the good, HDL cholesterol (high density lipoprotein), high. Think "H" for "high." An HDL level of 60 mg/dL or more helps protect you from heart disease.
Fatty Acids
Fat in the diet affects blood cholesterol. Total fat in the diet is based on a percentage of total calories. The American Heart Association recommends a total fat intake of 25 percent to 35 percent of total calories, primarily from unsaturated fats and a limited amount of saturated and trans-fats. The fat in the diet comes in several forms, referred to as "fatty acids." One gram of fat contains nine calories.
Mono-Unsaturated Fatty Acids
One of the healthy fats, mono-unsaturated fats help lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol, improving total cholesterol. Mono-unsaturated fats come from plant foods. Avocados, olives, peanuts and Canola, olive, sunflower and peanut oil are good sources of mono-unsaturated fat, which are liquid at room temperature. Mono-unsaturated fat may be listed on Nutrition Facts labels, but this is not required. Recommendations suggest that 10 percent of your total calories come from mono-unsaturated fat.
Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acids
Poly-unsaturated fat, another healthy fat, helps lower LDL cholesterol, but has no effect on HDL cholesterol. Good sources of poly-unsaturated fatty acids include both plant and animal foods (see next entry). Most nuts and seeds are good sources of poly-unsaturated fat, as well as safflower, corn, soybean, sunflower and cottonseed oils. Like mono-unsaturated fats, poly-unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. Though sometimes listed, this fat also is not required on Nutrition Facts labels. Recommendations suggest that poly-unsaturated fats make up 10 percent of your total calories.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids, made of polyunsaturated fat, help reduce the risk of heart disease. Good sources of omega-3 fats include fatty, cold water fish such as tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines. Benefits of omega-3 fat from fish are the same whether fresh, frozen or canned in water. Plant sources include walnuts, flax seed, soybeans and Canola oil. Currently, no specific recommendation exists for omega-3 fats, and there is no Nutrition Facts label requirement.
Saturated Fatty Acids
Saturated fat is an unhealthy fat that increases LDL cholesterol, and therefore total cholesterol, more than anything else in the diet. It has no effect on HDL cholesterol. Found in the fat of animals, whole-fat dairy products, lard and in certain plant oils such as coconut oil and palm oil, saturated fat is often solid at room temperature. Saturated fat content of food is required on Nutrition Facts labels. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that you consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids.
Trans-Fatty Acids
Trans-fats are unhealthy fats that increase LDL cholesterol and decrease HDL cholesterol. Trans-fats are created in a laboratory setting by adding hydrogen to unsaturated fatty acids. Found in fewer foods today than in previous years, Trans-fats are still in many processed foods, including crackers, pastries and stick margarine. Trans-fats are solid at room temperature. In January 2006, trans-fats became required data on the Nutrition Facts label. Listed in the ingredients list as "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" or "hydrogenated vegetable oil," keep this fat to a minimum. The American Heart Association recommends that it make up less than 1 percent of total calories. Example: If you consume 2,000 calories a day, aim for no more than 20 calories of trans-fats per day.
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