Being mindful of the amount and types of fat you are eating is important to your overall health. Fats come in several forms, including monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated and transfat. The first three occur naturally in foods, while transfat is the result of a chemical manufacturing process. Saturated and transfats are associated with various health risks, so you should limit their amount in your diet.
Dangers
Saturated fat in your diet can raise your cholesterol level, which raises your risk of life-threatening diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. When you eat a high percentage of your calories from saturated fat, the fat begins to coat the walls of your coronary arteries, causing a buildup of plaque. This plaque can become so thick that your blood flow is impaired, or the plaque can break apart and cause you to have a heart attack.
Maximum Intake
According to the American Heart Association, you should strictly limit the amount of saturated fat you consume. If you eat a 2,000-calorie diet, only 140 calories, or 7 percent, should come from saturated fat. If you eat 1,800 or 2,200 calories, eat just 126 or 154 saturated fat calories respectively. To convert fat grams to calories, multiply the number of fat grams by nine. For example, if a nutrition label indicates the food has 8 grams of saturated fat, that equates to 72 saturated fat calories.
Types of Foods
According to the Mayo Clinic website, the main source of saturated fat in the American diet is animal products. All beef, pork, seafood and the skin of poultry contain saturated fat. In addition, dairy products such as full-fat milk, heavy cream and regular ice cream contain saturated fat. Whole eggs have a high percentage of saturated fat, as do tropical oils.
Cooking to Reduce Fat Percentage
If you cannot give up red meat, choose the lowest-fat alternatives. In addition to selecting meat with little to no marbling, ask your butcher to trim all visible fat from the cut of meat. Grill the meat or roast it using a roasting rack so the meat does not sit in its own juices. Remove the skin from poultry before eating. Use egg substitutes in place of whole eggs and low-fat cheeses instead of full-fat options.
Considerations
Ask your doctor about your saturated fat intake. In addition to reducing saturated fat, add regular exercise to your healthy diet and lifestyle. Eat foods with healthier omega-3 fatty acids or monounsaturated fats such as salmon, nuts and olive oil.
References
- HelpGuide: The Truth About Fat, Nutrition, and Cholesterol
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol: Out with the Bad, In with the Good
- American Heart Association: How Do I Read Food Labels
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Fats: Know Which Types to Choose
- American Heart Association: How Can I Lower High Cholesterol
Member Comments