Fats, it's not all bad

Fat does a lot more for our bodies than we might think. Not only is it a source of energy, fat also transports fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K in the body. Fat builds parts of the cell membrane and is also essential for creating certain types of hormones. What’s more, fatty tissues isolate and protect the inner organs and help to regulate the temperature of the body.  Our daily fat intake should be about 25 to 30% of our daily energy input. This is about 44 to 78 g of fat per day when eating an amount of 2000 calories. ‘

Keep an eye on daily intake

Certain fats are very important, including plant-based fats like rapeseed oil, but also the oils that can be found in fatty fish and nuts, which have many positive effects on the cardiovascular system. The downside to fat is that it’s very high in calories: to work off 1 kg of body fat, we need to save around 7,000 kcals – that’s a lot!  Here are some tips to help keep an eye on our daily fat intake:

Reducing fat makes sense because fat has twice the amount of energy as carbs and proteins.

How much fat is good for us?

Use about 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oils a day, where at least half should come from rapeseed oil. It’s also a good idea to have a daily portion of unsalted nuts or seeds. Small amounts of butter, margarine and cream are also ok (about a tbsp or 10 g a day). You may also want to consider replacing butter or margarine with cream cheese. This will help avoid consuming more fat than necessary. To fry food, not much fat is needed – use non-stick pans instead.

Recognise hidden fats

In addition to obvious fat, nuts, seeds, olives and avocados all have a high fat content, even if it’s not completely obvious. Have foods that are high in fat in moderation because fat actually provides important fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamin E.

‘Light’ products

Products advertised as ‘light’ are low-calorie foods that have had their sugar or fat content reduced. This includes drinks labelled as ‘light’ or ‘zero’, which use artificial sweeteners like saccharin or aspartame instead of sugar. The same story applies to light yoghurt, ice cream, sausages and chips with a supposedly lower fat content. Dairy products and cold cuts are also often available in ‘light’ versions.  These products tend to make us feel less full than the original thing. They often don ‘t taste as good either, which can lead us to eating more of the food without actually enjoying it.  When considering ‘light’ products, use the nutritional table to check that the fat content isn ‘t just replaced by sugar. Low-fat products should contain fewer calories than the original.

Eating ‘light’ products are only really worth it if you enjoy the taste.