Types of Fat

Saturated fat is found mostly in foods from animals and some plants. Foods from animals include beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard,

poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy products made from whole and 2 percent milk. All of these foods also contain dietary cholesterol.

Foods from plants that contain saturated fat include coconut, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil (often called tropical oils), and cocoa butter.

Trans-fatty acids are formed during the process of hydrogenation. "Hydrogenate" means to add hydrogen. When unsaturated fatty acids

are hydrogenated, some of the hydrogen atoms are added on opposite sides of the molecule to the already attached hydrogen. Cis double bonds convert to trans double bonds, and the fatty acids become saturated.

Margarine, shortening, cooking oils and the foods made from them a major source of trans-fatty acids in the American diet.

These are also found in small amounts in various animal products such as beef, pork, lamb and the butterfat in butter and milk.

Recommendations

Based on current data, the American Heart Association recommends that consumers follow these tips:

Use naturally occurring, unhydrogenated vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, sunflower or olive oil most often.

Look for processed foods made with unhydrogenated oil rather than partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated vegetable oils or saturated fat.

Use soft margarine as a substitute for butter, and choose soft margarines (liquid or tub varieties) over harder stick forms. Look for ”0 g trans fat” on the Nutrition Facts label.

French fries, doughnuts, cookies, crackers, muffins, pies and cakes are examples of foods that are high in trans fat. Don't eat them often. 

Limit the saturated fat in your diet. If you don't eat a lot of saturated fat, you won't be consuming a lot of trans fat.

Limit commercially fried foods and baked goods made with shortening or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Not only are these foods very high in fat, but that fat is also likely to be very hydrogenated, meaning a lot of trans fat.

Limited fried fast food. Commercial shortening and deep-frying fats will continue to be made by hydrogenation and will contain saturated fat and trans fat.

Unsaturated fat includes polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. They're found mainly in many fish, nuts, seeds and oils from plants.

Some examples of foods that contain these fats include salmon, trout, herring, avocados, olives, walnuts and liquid vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, safflower, canola, olive and sunflower.

Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may help lower your blood cholesterol level when you use them in place of saturated and trans fats.

Keep total fat intake between 25 and 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

Keep trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of total calories.

Comparison of Dietary Fat

From: http://www.canolainfo.org/quadrant/media/downloads/pdfs/ditfatpadFINAL.pdf

Popular Food Trends

Cocoa butter is a natural, yellowish-white vegetable fat extracted from cocoa beans. Cocoa butter is solid at room temperature and very stable.  It is used to add smoothness and flavor in some foods, including chocolate.

Cocoa butter has significant amounts of saturated fats, but a main fatty acid is stearic acid, which has been shown in studies not to raise blood cholesterol levels like other saturated fats.

However, foods containing cocoa butter can be high in calories as well as butterfat and sugar; therefore you should consider them as treats that you eat only once in a while.

Tropical oils refer to coconut, palm kernel and palm oils. Like all fats and oils, these three oils contain various types of fatty acids, including

stearic acid. But unlike other plant oils, they contain a lot of saturated fatty acids.These oils are found mostly in commercial cakes, cookies and salty "snack foods," and need to be eaten in moderation.

For more information:

American Heart Associationwww.heart.org

Mayo Clinicwww.mayoclinic.com

Recipes

To include omega-3 fatty acids in your meals, choose fish for dinner:

Broiled trout with tomato and red onion relish

To reduce saturated fat and increase unsaturated fat, use olive oil and choose lean poultry for dinner:

Grilled chicken salad with olives & oranges

To reduce saturated fat and avoid trans-fats, choose low-fat or fat-free dairy with fruit for a sweet snack:

Apple salad with figs and almonds

Broiled trout with tomato and red onion relishMayoclinic.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved1 teaspoon olive oil1/4 cup chopped red onion1/4 cup balsamic vinegar1 teaspoon light molasses1 tablespoon grated lemon zest1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme4 trout fillets, each 5 ounces

Directions

Preheat the broiler (grill). Position the rack 4 inches from the heat source.

Arrange the tomatoes cut side down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment (baking) paper. Broil (grill) until the skins wrinkle and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside and leave the broiler on.

Broiled trout with tomato and red onion relishMayoclinic.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved1 teaspoon olive oil1/4 cup chopped red onion1/4 cup balsamic vinegar1 teaspoon light molasses1 tablespoon grated lemon zest1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme4 trout fillets, each 5 ounces

Directions

Preheat the broiler (grill). Position the rack 4 inches from the heat source.

Arrange the tomatoes cut side down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment (baking) paper. Broil (grill) until the skins wrinkle and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside and leave the broiler on.

In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the vinegar and molasses and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the broiled tomatoes, lemon zest, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat, set aside and keep warm.

Lightly coat a broiler pan with olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle the thyme and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt over the fillets and place on the prepared pan. Broil (grill) until the fish is opaque throughout when tested with the tip of a knife, about 5 minutes. Transfer to warmed individual plates and serve topped with the warm tomato relish.

Nutritional Analysis(per serving)

Calories 259 Cholesterol 84 mg

Protein 31g Sodium 359 mg

Carbohydrate 10 g Fiber 2 g

Total fat 10 g Potassium 863 mg

Saturated fat 3 g Calcium 108 mg

Monounsaturated fat 4 g

In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the vinegar and molasses and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the broiled tomatoes, lemon zest, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat, set aside and keep warm.

Lightly coat a broiler pan with olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle the thyme and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt over the fillets and place on the prepared pan. Broil (grill) until the fish is opaque throughout when tested with the tip of a knife, about 5 minutes. Transfer to warmed individual plates and serve topped with the warm tomato relish.

Nutritional Analysis(per serving)

Calories 259 Cholesterol 84 mg

Protein 31g Sodium 359 mg

Carbohydrate 10 g Fiber 2 g

Total fat 10 g Potassium 863 mg

Saturated fat 3 g Calcium 108 mg

Monounsaturated fat 4 g

Grilled chicken salad with olives & oranges Mayoclinic.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the dressing

o 1/2 cup red wine vinegar o 4 garlic cloves, minced o 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil o 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion o 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery o Cracked black pepper, to taste o 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each 4

ounces o 2 garlic cloves o 8 cups leaf lettuce, washed and dried o 16 large ripe (black) olives o 2 navel oranges, peeled and sliced

Directions

To make the dressing, in a small bowl combine the vinegar, garlic, olive oil, onion, celery and pepper. Stir to mix evenly. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Grilled chicken salad with olives & oranges Mayoclinic.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the dressing

o 1/2 cup red wine vinegar o 4 garlic cloves, minced o 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil o 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion o 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery o Cracked black pepper, to taste o 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each 4

ounces o 2 garlic cloves o 8 cups leaf lettuce, washed and dried o 16 large ripe (black) olives o 2 navel oranges, peeled and sliced

Directions

To make the dressing, in a small bowl combine the vinegar, garlic, olive oil, onion, celery and pepper. Stir to mix evenly. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill or broiler. Away from the heat source, lightly coat the grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source.

Rub the chicken breasts with garlic, then discard the cloves. Grill or broil the chicken until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes each side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing into strips.

Arrange 2 cups lettuce, 4 olives and 1/4 of the sliced oranges onto 4 plates. Top with 1/4 of the chicken strips and drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis(per serving)

Calories 250 Cholesterol 65 mg

Protein 29 g Sodium 264 mg

Carbohydrate 14 g Fiber 4 g

Total fat 7 g Potassium 698 mg

Saturated fat 1 g Calcium 108 mg

Monounsaturated fat 4 g    

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill or broiler. Away from the heat source, lightly coat the grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source.

Rub the chicken breasts with garlic, then discard the cloves. Grill or broil the chicken until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes each side. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing into strips.

Arrange 2 cups lettuce, 4 olives and 1/4 of the sliced oranges onto 4 plates. Top with 1/4 of the chicken strips and drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis(per serving)

Calories 250 Cholesterol 65 mg

Protein 29 g Sodium 264 mg

Carbohydrate 14 g Fiber 4 g

Total fat 7 g Potassium 698 mg

Saturated fat 1 g Calcium 108 mg

Monounsaturated fat 4 g    

Apple salad with figs and almonds Mayoclinic.com

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 large red apples, cored and diced6 dried figs, chopped2 ribs of celery, diced1/2 cup fat-free lemon yogurt2 tablespoons slivered almonds2 carrots, peeled and grated

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the apples, figs and celery. Add yogurt and mix thoroughly. Serve on separate plates topped with almonds and garnished with grated carrots.

Nutritional Analysis(per serving) Calories 95 Cholesterol 0 mgProtein 2 g Sodium 35 mgCarbohydrate 17 g Fiber 3 gTotal fat 2 g Potassium 323 mgSaturated fat trace Calcium 73 mgMonounsaturated fat 1 g    

Apple salad with figs and almonds Mayoclinic.com

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 large red apples, cored and diced6 dried figs, chopped2 ribs of celery, diced1/2 cup fat-free lemon yogurt2 tablespoons slivered almonds2 carrots, peeled and grated

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the apples, figs and celery. Add yogurt and mix thoroughly. Serve on separate plates topped with almonds and garnished with grated carrots.

Nutritional Analysis(per serving) Calories 95 Cholesterol 0 mgProtein 2 g Sodium 35 mgCarbohydrate 17 g Fiber 3 gTotal fat 2 g Potassium 323 mgSaturated fat trace Calcium 73 mgMonounsaturated fat 1 g