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ENLARGE
Mandy Hatfield
Fat. What a bad word, or that is what most people seem to think. Yet fat is essential to many body functions. The problem is there are good fats and bad fats, and consumers need to be educated on the differences between the two. Once we understand all that fat does for our body and what fats to eat, then maybe fat won't seem like such a bad word.
Let's explore some of the reasons we need fat in our diet. Fat provides us with much of the energy we use every day.
Fat is used for energy when we are at rest, so as you're sitting at your table reading this article, you're using fat. Fat is the source of the energy used in exercise, during a low- to moderate-intensity level workout. Oxygen is necessary for the conversion of fat to energy.
Therefore, during moderate- to high-intensity levels of exercise, your body starts using more glucose from carbohydrates for energy. Fat permits the transportation of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are all essential to our body.
Omega-6 and omega-3 are essential fatty acids that are required for body functions as well. Food would not be as tasty without fat; due to the fact that fat provides much of the flavor and texture.
Fat should make up between 20 percent to 35 percent of your daily calories according to the USDA Guidelines for Americans. This percentage is greater than the percentage of protein that should be in a healthy diet.
Now that we realize fat is necessary in our diet, what fat should we eat? Mainly we should consume monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats are always liquid at room temperature and are found in abundance in plants. Good sources of polyunsaturated fat are safflower oil, walnuts, and corn oil. Mono-unsaturated fats are found in olive oil, cashews, and canola oil. The two fats to be aware of are saturated and trans fats. These are the types that give fat a bad name and are very unhealthy in your diet if too much of either of is consumed.
Saturated fat does occur naturally in food, so there is a recommended intake of less than 7 percent to 10 percent of our total calories. However, we should consume an absolute minimum of trans fats or hydrogenated fats since they occur very rarely in nature. Looking at a nutrition label will tell us how much saturated fat is in each food item, but how do you know if trans fat is contained in the food as well? Check the ingredient list and look for the terms hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil. These are trans fats. New regulations should make it easier to know what foods contain trans fats.
Look for foods that have good fats and keep the bad fats to a minimum. By reading labels, you can change the word “fat” into a healthy, educated choice about what you put into your body.
Mandy Hatfield is the Nutrition Education Program Instructor for OSU Extension Service of Douglas County. Mandy can be reached by e-mail mandy.hatfield@oregonstate.edu or phone at 541-672-4461.
Let's explore some of the reasons we need fat in our diet. Fat provides us with much of the energy we use every day.
Fat is used for energy when we are at rest, so as you're sitting at your table reading this article, you're using fat. Fat is the source of the energy used in exercise, during a low- to moderate-intensity level workout. Oxygen is necessary for the conversion of fat to energy.
Therefore, during moderate- to high-intensity levels of exercise, your body starts using more glucose from carbohydrates for energy. Fat permits the transportation of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are all essential to our body.
Omega-6 and omega-3 are essential fatty acids that are required for body functions as well. Food would not be as tasty without fat; due to the fact that fat provides much of the flavor and texture.
Fat should make up between 20 percent to 35 percent of your daily calories according to the USDA Guidelines for Americans. This percentage is greater than the percentage of protein that should be in a healthy diet.
Now that we realize fat is necessary in our diet, what fat should we eat? Mainly we should consume monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats are always liquid at room temperature and are found in abundance in plants. Good sources of polyunsaturated fat are safflower oil, walnuts, and corn oil. Mono-unsaturated fats are found in olive oil, cashews, and canola oil. The two fats to be aware of are saturated and trans fats. These are the types that give fat a bad name and are very unhealthy in your diet if too much of either of is consumed.
Saturated fat does occur naturally in food, so there is a recommended intake of less than 7 percent to 10 percent of our total calories. However, we should consume an absolute minimum of trans fats or hydrogenated fats since they occur very rarely in nature. Looking at a nutrition label will tell us how much saturated fat is in each food item, but how do you know if trans fat is contained in the food as well? Check the ingredient list and look for the terms hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil. These are trans fats. New regulations should make it easier to know what foods contain trans fats.
Look for foods that have good fats and keep the bad fats to a minimum. By reading labels, you can change the word “fat” into a healthy, educated choice about what you put into your body.
Mandy Hatfield is the Nutrition Education Program Instructor for OSU Extension Service of Douglas County. Mandy can be reached by e-mail mandy.hatfield@oregonstate.edu or phone at 541-672-4461.
