The foods in this group are best eaten sparingly
because, although an energy source, they
contain few nutrients. Don't be fooled into
thinking they're entirely 'bad', though.
Fat is an important contributor to good
health.
Fat
transports fat-soluble vitamins A, D,
E and K through your body.
It
cushions your internal organs.
It
makes food taste nicer.
It
can contain essential fatty acids (EFAs),
which are thought to have a positive effect
on the health of your heart and immune
system.
It's
a concentrated source of energy.
It's this
last point that has given fat such a bad reputation.
Just 1g of fat provides 9 calories - more than
double the calories in 1g of protein or carbohydrate.
This means if you eat a lot of fatty foods, you're
likely to put on weight. However, understanding
the difference between unsaturated and saturated
fats can help.
Saturated
and unsaturated
Fat can be
divided into two groups - saturated and unsaturated.
Saturated
fat is generally solid at room
temperature and is usually from animal sources.
It's found in lard, butter, hard margarine, cheese,
whole milk and anything that contains these ingredients,
such as cakes, chocolate, biscuits, pies and pastries.
It's also the white fat you can see on red meat
and underneath poultry skin. The less saturated
fat you eat, the better - a high intake has been
linked with an increased risk of coronary heart
disease.
Unsaturated
fat is usually liquid at room
temperature and generally comes from vegetable
sources. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats
are both included in this group. Unsaturated fat
is a healthier alternative to saturated fat and
can be found in vegetable oils such as sesame,
sunflower, soya and olive; oily fish, such as
mackerel, sardines, pilchards and salmon; and
soft margarine.
Sugary
foods
Like fat, sugar is a concentrated source
of energy and also has a bad reputation.
The psychological benefits of eating foods
such as jam, sweets, cakes, chocolate, soft
drinks, biscuits and ice cream are fairly
obvious. They taste lovely and feel like
a special treat. However, it's important
to keep them as just that - an occasional,
special treat. Why? Because...
Did
you know...?
In
reality, many foods contain
both saturated and unsaturated
fats, but they're described
as one or the other depending
on which makes up the majority.
So, a healthier unsaturated
fat such as olive oil contains
saturated fats, too.
Sugary
foods often go hand in hand with fatty
foods. Think cakes, biscuits, chocolate
& pies.
Sugar
interacts with the plaque on your teeth
and has been proven to cause tooth decay.
How
much is enough?
Government guidelines recommend
that fats make up no more than 35 per cent of your
diet. For the average woman, this means about 76g
of fat per day; for men, roughly 100g. In reality,
though, most of us have much higher fat intakes.
Ideally, we should only eat sugary
foods sparingly. If you'd like to cut down on fatty
and sugary foods, follow these suggestions:
Snack
on fresh or dried fruit rather than biscuits
and chocolate.
Trim
any visible fat off meat and poultry.
Buy
lean cuts of meat and reduced-fat minces.
Ditch
the frying pan - try poaching, steaming,
grilling and baking instead.
Swap
whole milk for semi-skimmed or skimmed alternatives.
If you
use lard, butter or hard margarine, switch
to vegetable oil and low-fat spreads.
