Nutrients Fats

The Five Nutrient Groups There are five main groups of nutrients: Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats, Vitamins, Minerals Water and NSP are not nutrients but vital for life Nutrient Recap

Fats

Fats  There are two main categories of fat or fatty acids  Saturated and Unsaturated. Unsaturated fatty acids are 'good' fatty acids Unsaturated “good” fats are better for you, as consuming foods containing "polyunsaturated" and "monounsaturated" fats does not increase cholesterol Saturated fatty acids are 'bad' fatty acids. Saturated fats and trans fats are "bad" fats as they can raise cholesterol  W ithin these categories, there are at least 40 different types of fatty acids.  All fats have 9 calories per gram.  The body uses fats for warmth and if it has depleted it carbohydrate store it will convert fat into energy

Saturated Fat Saturated fat is typically found in large amounts in foods from animals Key food sources are;  butter,  lard,  milk,  cheese,  cream,  the fat in meat and poultry.  Many baked goods such as cakes, biscuits and pastries are also high in saturated fat.  Surprisingly though -Tropical oils like palm and coconut oils also contain large amounts of saturated fat.  The saturated form of fat is usually solid at room temperature.

Saturated Fat  Saturated fat is most closely associated with increased health risks. This fat has been shown to increase “bad” cholesterol levels  Our saturated fat intake should be limited to no more than 10% of calories. Recommended fat intakes are based on contemporary energy needs and physical activity levels are;  women should eat no more than 20 grams of saturated fat a day,  men should eat no more than 25 grams of saturated fat a day,  On average adults in the UK are currently eating about 13% too much.  Saturated fat can increase your chances of having Coronary Heart disease  And it will contribute to obesity

Un-Saturated Fat  In unsaturated fats, some of the carbon atoms are joined to others by a double bond and, therefore, could accept more hydrogen atoms. This means that they are not completely saturated with hydrogen, so are called unsaturated fats.  There are two main types of unsaturated fats –  monounsaturated (containing one double bond) and  polyunsaturated (containing more than one double bond).  Most monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have good qualities,  There is convincing evidence that swapping saturated fats for monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats will reduce bad cholesterol.  Unsaturated fats are generally liquid at room temperature, and contain essential fatty acids that cannot be manufactured by the body. This means you need to get them from food.

Un-Saturated Fat Unsaturated come from vegetable sources and are also found in oily fish and in soft margarines labelled 'high in polyunsaturated'. Most people will get there unsaturated fat from:  Oily fish such as salmon, fresh tuna, mackerel, trout, sardines, pilchards and herring Omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids play an important role in the functions of the body that promote health and wellbeing. In particular, studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids protect against heart disease. Oily fish is the best source of omega-3:Current advice is to eat oily fish two to three times a week. While oily fish is the best source of essential fatty acids, other omega-rich foods are:  corn oil  flaxseed oil  nut oil  safflower oil  sunflower oil  olive oil  avocados  nuts (cashew, brazil, pecan, walnut) and seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame).

Trans Fat  Most monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have good qualities, with one exception - trans-fatty acids.  Trans fatty acids are, technically speaking, an unsaturated fat but offer no health benefits.  Trans fats are found naturally at low levels in some foods including meat and dairy products.  They can also be found in foods containing hydrogenated vegetable oil. Hydrogenated vegetable oils may contain trans fats.  Like saturated fats, trans fats can raise cholesterol levels in the blood  In the UK we don’t eat a lot of trans fats about half the recommended maximum. Most of the supermarkets in the UK have removed hydrogenated vegetable oil from all their own- brand products.  We eat a lot more saturated fats than trans fats. This means that when looking at the amount of fat in your diet, it’s more important to focus on reducing the amount of saturated fat.

Fat Recap