Eat the right fats to improve your heart health
Trans fats, Omega-3 fats, saturated fats… are you confused by all the fats you have been hearing about lately? Wondering which type to eat and which to avoid? There are different types of fat in foods. Some fats can increase your risk of heart disease and other fats may actually improve your heart health.  The key to improving your health is to replace the “bad” fats with the “good” fats!

Fats that harm your heart
Saturated and trans fats should be eaten less because they may lead to high blood cholesterol, which is a risk factor for heart disease.  These fats are usually firm in texture and solid at room temperature.

Saturated fat is found in milk, cheese, butter, lard, shortening, many baked goods and convenience foods. Saturated fats are also found in oils such as palm, palm kernel and coconut.

Trans fats are formed when liquid oils are changed to a solid in a process called “hydrogenation”.  Trans fat are found in many processed foods such as hydrogenated margarines, cookies, crackers, French fries, potato chips and frozen dinners.  If you see the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredient list, that product contains trans fat.

“What kind of margarine should I buy?”  Buy an un-saturated and non-hydrogenated margarine.  Look for these words on the package - non-hydrogenated, unsaturated, no trans fats.

Check out the Top 5 Things you Need to Know about Trans Fat
(Toronto Public Health)

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Fats that help your heart
Unsaturated fats can help keep blood cholesterol levels healthy. These fats are usually soft or liquid at room temperature.  There are two types of unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, olive and peanut oil as well as soft non-hydrogenated margarines. Polyunsaturated fats are found in safflower, sunflower, corn, sesame and soybean oils.  Two important polyunsaturated fats are Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.  The body cannot produce these fats, therefore they must come from food.  A normal diet is sufficient in Omega-6 but most diets tend to be low in Omega-3 fats. You may also hear Omega-3 fats called linolenic, EPA and DHA.

Why are Omega-3 fats important?
Omega-3 fats have been shown to lower the risk for heart disease and regulate cholesterol levels.

Where can I find Omega-3 fat?
Omega-3 fats can be found in fish, flax seed, eggs and other Omega-3 fortified products such as milk and yogurt. Fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, trout, sardines, herring and mackerel are rich sources of Omega-3. Ground flax seeds are high in Omega-3. Add these seeds to baked goods, cereal, pizza crust, soup, pancakes and salads. Omega-3 eggs are produced by hens that are fed flax seeds.  Other good sources of Omega-3 fats include walnuts, canola oil, soybeans and soybean oil.

How can I increase my Omega-3 intake?

• Eat fish at a meal instead of meat. (You will also decrease your saturated fat intake)
• Have a tuna, salmon or sardine sandwich for lunch.
• Substitute Omega-3 eggs for regular eggs.
• Use canola or soybean oil when preparing foods.
• Add ground flax to various foods including: cereal, soup, pizza crust, pancakes, burgers, cottage cheese and salads.

Substitute trans fats and saturated fats with heart healthy fats. Once you are aware of which fats to avoid and which ones to consume, your heart will thank you for it!

For free resources on how to choose heart healthy fats, or how to decrease the amount of fat you use in cooking, call the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit’s Health Action Line at 1-800-660-5853 or 613-345-5685 and ask to speak to a Registered Dietitian.

Submitted by Meena Parameswaran, MAN, RD, Registered Dietitian/Public Health Nutritionist

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