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Everyone needs to eat some fat to stay healthy. Dietary fats give you energy and help you absorb vitamins from foods, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K.
The amount of fat you should have every day depends on your age, gender, and activity level. Generally, men should aim for about 65 grams of fat, while women should aim for about 50 grams. This usually means choosing foods that are low in fat, and adding a small amount (2 to 3 tablespoons or 30 to 45 grams) of unsaturated fats to foods each day, such as non-hydrogenated margarine, oil or salad dressing.
Eating some fat is good for your health. However, eating high fat foods too often can result in weight gain because fats are very high in calories. Being overweight can increase your risk of developing diabetes. Eating too much fat can also lead to other health concerns, such as cancer and heart disease.
Fats are not all the same. Some fats are good for your health, while others are not. Some high fat foods, like chips or cookies, give you very little nutrition with the fat. Nuts, seeds, avocado, salmon, sardines, and cheese are also high fat foods, but they provide important nutrients as well.
Good choices are monounsaturated fats, which help to lower cholesterol levels. These fats are found in olive, canola and soybean oils and in foods with these ingredients, as well as in avocado and nuts.
Polyunsaturated fats also help to lower cholesterol levels. Two special polyunsaturated fats – omega 3 and omega 6 – are very important for your health. Omega 3 fats are found in fish, flax seeds, walnuts and canola oil. Good sources of omega 6 fats are seeds, safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oils, and foods that contain these ingredients.
Saturated and trans fats are poor choices mainly because they can increase blood cholesterol levels. It is very important to eat less saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats are mostly found in animal products, especially fatty meats like sausages and bacon, and in high fat dairy products like butter, whipping cream, sour cream, cream cheese and chip dips.
Trans fats come mostly from vegetable oils that have been made solid through partial hydrogenation. Examples include hard margarine, shortening, donuts, Danish pastries, cookies, crackers, chips, and many fast foods.
Tips for meals at home:
Tips for snacks:
Tips for eating out:
The Nutrition Facts Table (see below) shows how much and what kind of fat is in pre-packaged foods. You can use this information to help you choose healthier prepackaged foods.
For more information on the amount of fat and other nutrients in foods see The Canadian Nutrient File at www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/fiche-nutri-data/index_e.html.
For nutrition information, call Dial-A-Dietitian and speak to a registered dietitian at 604-732-9191 in Greater Vancouver or 1-800-667-3438 toll-free in BC.
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