Les lipides

Fats, just like vitamins and minerals, have their role to play in the health of our bodies.

Fats are and remain the most high-calorie nutrient with 9 kcal/gram. They are a major source of energy. Restricting ourselves to low-fat foods, or cutting fat out completely from our diet isn’t sustainable for the body in the long run. In order to maintain a balanced diet, we need a certain amount of food to feel full and we also need healthy fats in moderation. Not only do certain fats help absorb vitamins and minerals, they also play a role in building cell membranes and the protective layer surrounding nerve cells. Muscle movement, blood clotting and fighting infections would also be impossible without the presence of fats.

Vitamins and minerals, on the other hand, don’t contain any calories. They’re also essential for our bodies because they help our metabolism run smoothly.

Visible vs. hidden fats

Butter and oil, or the fat we see on a piece of ham are easy to recognize, visible fats. What’s more difficult to spot are the fats hidden in food that we don’t necessarily realise are there. If you didn’t know, peanuts have a high fat content of 51 g per 100 g – hard to tell just by looking at them, isn’t it? Just by knowing this information, it helps to eat more mindfully and feel satisfied having a smaller portion.  The next time you’re doing your shopping, you may want to take a look at the fat content of the different products you pick up.

Healthy vs. unhealthy fats

There are 3 types of fat: nunsaturated fats, saturated fats and trans fats. Unsaturated fats are beneficial to our health, as they help in certain body processes, including regulating the heart rhythm and cholesterol levels, as well as decreasing inflammation. At room temperature, unsaturated fats remain liquid, while saturated fats solidify. 

Within unsaturated fats, there are 2 kinds:

1.     Monounsaturated fats help with maintaining “good” cholesterol while decreasing “bad” cholesterol. They can be found in: rapeseed and olive oil (or spreads made from these oils) \ avocado\ nuts and seeds.

2.     Polyunsaturated fats also help lower “bad” cholesterol. There are 2 kinds of polyunsaturated fats: omega-3 fatty acids & omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids are linked to the prevention of heart disease and stroke. They also make up an important part of the body’s cell membranes and play a part in the functioning of these cells, as well as fighting infection. These fatty acids are also important in regulating blood clotting and inflammation in the body. Since omega-3 can’t be produced by the body itself, it’s taken in through our diet when we eat: herring, salmon, sardines, trout and other oily fish.

Omega-6, like omega-3 fatty acids, are good for our health

Omega-6, like omega-3 fatty acids, are good for our health. While lowering “bad” cholesterol and increasing “good” cholesterol, it also helps regulate blood sugar levels. Omega-6 also needs to be taken in through our diet and can mostly be found in: rapeseed oil, corn oil, sunflower oil and other vegetable oils. It is important to take note of how much omega-6 and omega-3 we have in our diet because too many omega-6 fatty acids is linked to inflammation and can increase infection in the body. The recommended ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acid is 5:1. Since most people already get enough omega-6 in their diet, the best way to maintain this ratio is to boost our intake of omega-3. Unlike unsaturated fats, saturated fats will harden at room temperature. Having too much saturated fat in our diet can raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Saturated fats can be found in meat and dairy products, as well as certain plant-based foods, such as: sausage, bacon, burgers, butter, ghee and lard cheese, cream and ice cream biscuits and cakes palm and coconut oil.

The recommended ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acid is 5 : 1.

Natural trans fats can be found in meat and dairy products in low levels and are also in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Trans fats are the least healthy type of fat, as they raise cholesterol levels, create inflammation in the body and are linked to heart disease. Luckily for us, artificial trans fats have been removed from most food products in the UK and are banned from food products in Canada and the US, so we don’t need to worry too much about our trans fat intake. Since many of us tend to eat much more saturated fat, it’s best to keep an eye on how much saturated fat we’re eating instead.

The healthiest option is to replace our intake of saturated fats with unsaturated fats, which are the healthiest form of fat. Steer clear of ready-made products that list ‘hardened’ or ‘partially hardened fats’ as one of their ingredients! To maintain a healthy and balanced diet, we recommend: Less than 10% of our fat intake should be in the form of saturated fats, about 0.5 to 2% in the form of omega-3 fatty acids and about 2.5 to 9% in the form of omega-6 fatty acids and – 10 to 15% in the form of simple unsaturated fats.

Healthy options to use in the kitchen

The kind of cooking oil/fat we should use depends on what we’re preparing. For cold dishes, like in dressing or for drizzling over vegetables or pasta, use: rapeseed oil (cold pressed or refined),olive oil (virgin or refined), walnut oil, wheatgerm oil and soya oil.

Trans-fatty acids

For baking: butter or margarine, rapeseed oil (refined), olive oil (refined), Unrefined oils have the most health benefits, since they retain the natural properties of the plant: Virgin or extra-virgin oils are chemical-free and have been processed minimally; Cold-pressed oils retain the most nutrients, since they’ve been extracted using no heat (which tends to break down the oil’s properties).

The good thing about refined oils is that they keep for longer due to their refining process. They can also tolerate more heat, although this means that they don’t have the nutrients that unrefined oils do.

Based on their health benefits, the following types of fat are listed from greatest to least:

– Polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids (rapeseed oil, walnut oil, nut oil, linseed oil, herring, salmon )

– Monounsaturated fat  (olive oil)

– Polyunsaturated omega-6 fat (sunflower, thistle and corn oil, dairy)

– Saturated fat (butter, meat, dairy, high-fat cheese, cream, etc.)

– Trans fat (ready-made products with hardened fats, like crisps and pre-made meals)

If you’re looking for ways to cut down on fat, consider:

– Measuring out fats with a spoon or measuring cup when frying or preparing food – avoid pouring straight from the bottle.

– Shopping high-fat ingredients very finely and using only half, like with feta or large olives in a salad.

– Opting for cucumber and tomato on bread vs. cheese and salami.’

– Using smaller or thinner slices of cheese or sausage if you are choosing those ingredients – a good indicator is if you’re still able to see the bread underneath the slices.

– Adding herbs and spices instead of cream to enhance the taste of meals.

– Steaming, simmering or grilling food, which require less fat than other preparation methods. Clay cooking pots are a good option too!