by Scott Williams the Fitness Expert
How much fat should I eat?
Regardless of the kind of fat eaten, fat provides more energy per gram than all other nutrients.
Foods higher in fat are thus higher in energy.
Fat yields 37 kilojoules per gram.
Carbohydrate yields 17 kilojoules per gram.
Protein yields 16 kilojoules per gram.
Alcohol yields 29 kilojoules per gram.
A daily intake of 30% kilojoules from fat is more than enough to promote good health. When a fat loss and exercise program is in progress, a 15% to 20% intake of kilojoules from fat per day is enough to promote nutritional adequacy and assist body fat loss. A sensible fat intake target should be between 30g and 60g and this will depend on gender and individual energy needs. Eating less than 30g fat per day for an extended period is both unrealistic and unnecessary.
Which are the ‘bad fats’?
Saturated fat: fat that is solid at room temperature like butter or the fat on meat is largely saturated fat. This should be eaten the least. Too much of this kind of fat raises blood cholesterol (LDL or bad cholesterol) and is highly correlated with increased risk of heart disease. Avoid ingredients labelled as animal shortening, coconut and palm oils, lard, dripping, coconut milk, milk fat or animal and dairy fat.
Which are the ‘good fats’?
Monounsaturated fat: monounsaturated fats can be found in animal and plant fats and oils. These fats are the healthier kind but should still be eaten in moderation. Highly monounsaturated fat sources are plant-derived and include olive oil, canola and peanut oils. Plant food sources include avocados, peanuts, hazelnuts and macadamia nuts. Monounsaturated fats may also have unique properties in reducing the risk of heart disease when they replace saturated fat intake.
Polyunsaturated fat: oils rich in polyunsaturated fats come extracted from plant seeds and include safflower oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, and soybean oil and are also important to health. Seeds such as soya beans, corn and sesame seed are also rich in polyunsaturated fats.
Why are Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats important?
Essential fats in our nutrition are called essential fatty acids (EFA) and include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. EFA are all polyunsaturated fats. Our bodies can produce other fatty acids but cannot produce EFA, thus we need to eat them. EFA have various important functions in the body: they are critical to the structure of the body’s cell membranes and in the production of important hormones that are involved in bodily processes like blood clotting, the control of blood pressure and in reproductive function.
Which foods contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats?
Deep-sea fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids – this includes readily available oily fish like tuna, herring, mackerel, salmon and sardines. Other longer chain omega-3 fatty acids (called DHA & EPA) are also found in oily fish and seafood and can be made by the body using the omega-3 EFA. Soybean and canola oils and other polyunsaturated vegetable oils are good sources of omega-3 fats, as are walnuts, linseeds, and green leafy vegetables. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in polyunsaturated vegetable oils, including soybean, safflower and sunflower oils.
What are trans-fatty acids?
These occur naturally in animal and dairy products but have a similar cholesterol raising effect as saturated fat. When polyunsaturated margarine is made solid, some of the unsaturated fatty acids are converted into trans-fatty acids. Many margarines have been changed so that they have less trans-fats than in previous times.
Do I need to cut my cholesterol intake down?
Cholesterol in food is found only in animal products. Vegetable oils don’t contain cholesterol, but some may still contain saturated fat, like palm and coconut oils. Our bodies can also produce it in the liver. If large amounts of cholesterol are eaten, the body will usually compensate by producing less. Thus we can eat 3 to 4 eggs per week and enjoy prawns, which are also high in cholesterol, provided the overall saturated fat intake in the diet is low.
What does the National Heart Foundation recommend for dietary fat intake?
Saturated fat and trans-fats should not contribute more than 8% of total energy intake
Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats can contribute 8-10% of total energy intake
At least two fish meals per week should be eaten to ensure adequate intake of marine omega-3 polyunsaturated fat intake
A proportion of dietary saturated fat intake should be replaced by monounsaturated fat intake
People at low coronary risk can reasonably eat moderate quantities of cholesterol-rich foods
People with plasma cholesterol levels greater than 5.0 mmol/L or other risk factors should restrict the intake of cholesterol-rich foods
For more information please don’t hesitate to contact one of the Succeed Personal Trainers or Bootcamp Instsructors based at various Health Club / Gym locations around Canberra.
E : enquiries@succeed.com.au
