Fat gets a bad rap. Certainly, most of us really don’t want to see too much of it on our bodies. But what about in the foods we eat? Is it really all bad? You hear things about healthy fats one day and fat bans another. It can be a little overwhelming.
Well, fear not, we’ve prepared a 2 post series we like to call: Fat 101 to help you get down to the facts of fats. This week, we’ll spend a little time talking about unsaturated (or “healthy”) fats. Then, join us next week when we’ll learn about saturated fats, with a focus on trans fats and why they are getting so much attention.
To get started, it’s important to understand all fats are not created equal. There are 2 main types of fats: unsaturated and saturated fats. This week we’ll talk unsaturated.
Unsaturated fats are considered to be the healthier of the two fats. Unsaturated fats can be broken down even further to polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils, fish, and nuts. Unsaturated fats contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which have been proven to have many healthy affects on the body including prevention of heart disease and increased brain function. Unsaturated fats can be broken down further to polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fats.
Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and solidify when exposed to colder temperatures. Polyunsaturated fat sources include seeds, vegetable oil, and nuts.
Monounsaturated fats are considered the healthiest of the fat options. Olive oil, canola oil, and avocados are all monounsaturated fats.
Healthy, unsaturated fats do a lot of good nutritionally. They provide valuable energy to the body, can actually positively influence cholesterol, are important to keep skin and hair supple, and help us to feel full.
Just because unsaturated fats are considered to be a healthier fat, it isn’t free license to go overboard. Even as a healthier option, the USDA recommends that unsaturated fat content be responsible for less than 30% of daily intake of calories.
To include valuable unsaturated fats in dishes, consider a drizzle of olive oil, a few slices of avocado or adding a small serving of nuts for a boost of flavor and nutrition to dishes.
Now that we’ve covered the healthier fat, we hope you’ll come back next week when we will discuss saturated fats, including trans fats.
Don’t forget, one of the best way to help your customers to make healthy choices regarding fats is to keep them informed.
At MenuTrinfo, calculating fat content, including discerning between saturated and unsaturated is just a small part of what you can expect when you choose us to calculate your menu’s nutritional information. Give us a call today to get started!
Image used under Creative Commons from USDAgov.
To get started, it’s important to understand all fats are not created equal. There are 2 main types of fats: unsaturated and saturated fats. This week we’ll talk unsaturated.
Unsaturated fats are considered to be the healthier of the two fats. Unsaturated fats can be broken down even further to polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils, fish, and nuts. Unsaturated fats contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which have been proven to have many healthy affects on the body including prevention of heart disease and increased brain function. Unsaturated fats can be broken down further to polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fats.
Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and solidify when exposed to colder temperatures. Polyunsaturated fat sources include seeds, vegetable oil, and nuts.
Monounsaturated fats are considered the healthiest of the fat options. Olive oil, canola oil, and avocados are all monounsaturated fats.
Healthy, unsaturated fats do a lot of good nutritionally. They provide valuable energy to the body, can actually positively influence cholesterol, are important to keep skin and hair supple, and help us to feel full.
Just because unsaturated fats are considered to be a healthier fat, it isn’t free license to go overboard. Even as a healthier option, the USDA recommends that unsaturated fat content be responsible for less than 30% of daily intake of calories.
To include valuable unsaturated fats in dishes, consider a drizzle of olive oil, a few slices of avocado or adding a small serving of nuts for a boost of flavor and nutrition to dishes.
Now that we’ve covered the healthier fat, we hope you’ll come back next week when we will discuss saturated fats, including trans fats.
Don’t forget, one of the best way to help your customers to make healthy choices regarding fats is to keep them informed.
At MenuTrinfo, calculating fat content, including discerning between saturated and unsaturated is just a small part of what you can expect when you choose us to calculate your menu’s nutritional information. Give us a call today to get started!
Image used under Creative Commons from USDAgov.
