The Skinny on Fat

Back in the 1980s health professionals were recommending low-fat diets for optimal health. Fat in our diet was considered the culprit in obesity, heart disease, and high cholesterol. In the last twenty-five plus years though, our knowledge about fat has changed. The reality now is, this important nutrient is essential for good health and vital for a healthy diet. We need to choose the right types of fat that promote our health positively. The key is to replace bad fat with good fat. It is the type of fat, not only the amount, which impact our overall health.

Depending on the effect it has on heart health, fat can be “good” or “ bad”. Studies are showing that choosing more of the “good” monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, instead of the “bad” saturated and trans fats can help reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Canada’s Food Guide recommends that we include 2 to 3 tablespoons of unsaturated fat each day in our diets to get the fat we need. (Unsaturated fats are divided into monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats and both are thought to have beneficial effects on heart health and cholesterol.)

Known as “bad fats”, saturated and trans fat can raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. Saturated fat is found in dairy products such as butter, cream and cheese, meat and poultry skin. Trans fat is found in foods prepared with partially hydrogenated oils and include donuts, fries and packaged foods. It is a good idea to reduce or eliminate these types of fats in our diet and replace them with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated “good” fats. These good fats also provide us with essential omega-3-6-9.

Monounsaturated fats help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol while also increasing HDL (good) cholesterol. Some foods high in monounsaturated fat include nuts (particularly almonds, pecans and hazelnuts), avocadoes, canola, safflower and olive oil.

Polyunsaturated fats are also thought to help lower total and bad cholesterol and are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Foods high in polyunsaturated fat include fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines, walnuts, sunflower, soy and flax oils. Omega-3 fatty acids are also thought to lower blood pressure, combat bad cholesterol (LDL), protect the brain and nervous system and fight inflammation.

The human body can manufacture most fatty acids that we require for optimal health, but the fatty acids that our body cannot manufacture and need to acquire from diet and supplementation, are called Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) and are vital to our health. Consuming “good fat” foods and taking EFA supplements on a daily basis is the only way to get these essential nutrients. Consuming fish once in awhile is not enough. EFA deficiency has become one of the most widespread nutritional deficiencies, and supplementation is becoming very popular with more and more people enjoying the results.

A great supplement to take which supplies essential omega –3 and –6 fatty acids as well as omega –9 in an easy-to-swallow soft gelatine capsule (which protects the oils from light and oxygen for optimal freshness) is AIMega®.

With the growing popularity of vegetarian diets, or people who prefer not to take fish oil, AIMega® contains a healthy ratio of beneficial omega-3, -6 and –9 fatty acids derived from plant sources, providing us with essential fats needed to maintain optimal health and well-being.

Now that we know “good fat” isn’t the culprit we once thought it was, a healthy and balanced diet, along with supplementation, can help us build a solid foundation for maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. In a nutshell, that’s the skinny on fat.

If you’d like more information about AIMega® please visit My AIM Store website at http://awealthofhealth.myaimstore.com where you can read more about this beneficial product, download a data sheet or watch a video.