Why do we need fat?

• Fat is important as a source of energy, especially for healthy growth and development in young children.
• Fat is needed for absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
• Fat also provides essential fatty acids that the body needs for heart health, to make hormones and to build healthy cells and skin.
• The fat layer under the skin also helps to insulate the body against extreme temperatures.

Because high fat intakes may increase your risk of certain diseases, fat in foods should be lowered, but not cut out.

Trivia Question: How much fat does the average man and woman need every day?

a) 20 grams for men, 15 grams for women

b) 90 grams for men, 65 grams for women

c) 50 grams for men, 30 grams for women

Answer: Men need about 90 grams of fat (22 ½ teaspoons), women need about 65 grams (16 ¼ teaspoons) every day.

How much and what type of fats should you eat?

Choosing the right amount and types of oils and fats can lower your risk of developing certain diseases such as heart disease. For good health, include a small amount of unsaturated fat and limit the amount of saturated and trans fat in your day.

Have a small amount – 30 to 45 mL (2 to 3 Tbsp) – of unsaturated fat each day through cooking, salad dressings, margarines and mayonnaise,

Unsaturated vegetable oils include:

• Canola
• Corn
• Flaxseed
• Olive
• Peanut
• Soybean
• Sunflower

Limit butter, hard margarine, lard and shortening. And read labels to avoid and sources of trans fats such as baked goods, fried foods and processed foods.

What are the different kinds of fat?

Trivia Question: Which of the following foods contain trans fat?

a) Hydrogenated margarine

b) French fries from a fast food restaurant

c) Store-bought muffins made with shortening

Answer: All of the above

Most of the trans fat in our diet comes from hydrogenated margarines (especially hard margarines), commercially fried foods and bakery products that are made with shortening, margarine, or partially hydrogenated oil. These include crackers, cookies, donuts, pastries, muffins, and croissants, snack foods and fried foods such as French fries and breaded foods.

A small amount of naturally-occurring trans fat is found in meat and dairy products. More research is needed to understand the differences between natural and man-made trans fats.

What kinds of fat increase my risk for heart disease?

In general, saturated fat and trans fat raise the blood levels of the ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol). LDL-cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease. In addition to raising ‘bad’ cholesterol, trans fat also reduces the blood levels of the ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol). HDL-cholesterol protects against heart disease.

Omega-3 fats have been shown to reduce the risk for heart disease. Enjoy at least 2 Food Guide servings of fish every week (e.g. char, herring, salmon, sardines, mackerel). Find out about limiting your exposure to mercury from certain kinds of fish.

Tips on making lower fat food choices

Each food group has lower and higher fat choices. The key is to balance your choices throughout the day. So if you choose a higher fat food at a meal, try and balance it by eating other lower fat foods. Every food you eat doesn’t have to be one that is lower in fat.

Let’s take a closer look at how small changes can make a big difference.

*Source: Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods

Source: A Matter of Fat, Beef Information Centre

Trivia Question: Which is a higher fat choice at a fast food restaurant? A single patty hamburger or a fish sandwich?

Answer: The fish burger has 18 grams of fat compared to the hamburger with 8 grams of fat. That’s because the fish burger is breaded and fried, but the burger is grilled. Also, the fish sandwich is usually also served with tartar sauce.

How can I make lower fat choices?

When cutting fat from your diet, think about the different ways that fat is present in food. Fat can be hidden in foods (like cheese, baked goods); it can be visible on foods (such as the skin of chicken and the fat that surrounds meat) or it can be added to foods (such as oil, margarine, butter, and salad dressings). All of these forms of fat add up to how much fat you eat in a day.

At the grocery store

• On the label: Compare the % Daily Value of fat between similar products. Anything with less than 5% Daily Value is a lower fat choice. Choose lower fat choices from each food group more often.
• Take the time to read labels when buying cookies, crackers and cakes to limit your intake of saturated fat and trans fat.
• Choose lower-fat milk products more often. This means a milk-fat(MF) of less than 2% for milk, cottage cheese and yogurt. Cheese is considered lower fat if it contains less than 20% MF.
• Choose plain meat and fish that is not breaded.
• Select lean meat and alternatives prepared with little or no added fat or salt
• If you eat luncheon meats, sausages or prepacked meats, choose those lower in salt(sodium) and fat

When cooking at home

• Substitute soft margarine for hard margarine, butter or lard in baking.
• Choose cooking methods that use very small amounts of fat like grilling, broiling, baking, roasting, stir-frying, poaching and steaming.
• Use non-stick pans to reduce the amount of oil you use.
• Eat legumes (chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils) as a meat alternative at least once a week.
• Know your serving sizes: a serving of fish, meat, or poultry is 75 grams (1/2 cuo cooked).
• Go easy on spreads and sauces. When serving meats with sauce, drizzle a small amount – not a ladle – of sauce over the meat.
• Add a splash of herbed or flavoured vinegar to salads.
• Try mustard, chutney or salsa on sandwiches.
• Use more herbs and spices to season your food.
• Trim visible fat from meat and remove skin from poultry.

For more tips on lower fat cooking:

Healthy Eating, by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, When eating out

When eating out

• Choose more often foods that are:
  • grilled, baked, broiled, poached, au jus, steamed or dry-sautéed;
  • prepared with broth or tomato sauce, not cream;
  • flavored with fresh herbs, rather than fats such as oil and butter.
• Choose less often foods that are:
  • pan-fried or deep-fried;
  • covered with gravy, sauces, sour cream or guacamole;
  • served au beurre, au gratin, crispy, carbonara, flaky, batter-dipped, breaded, parmigiana, tempura, fritters, à la hollandaise – all these terms imply that the cooking method used has extra fat and calories.
• Ask for dressings/sauces on the side.
• Keep an eye on portion size. Consider sharing a large portion with someone else or taking half the meal home for the next day.
• Think about going to an Eat Smart! designated restaurant. These restaurants meet high standards in nutrition and food safety.