Fats and figures

Knowing how much of which fats to include in our diet is becoming increasingly challenging. First we assumed that the healthiest diets had the fewest calories coming from fats. Then we learned that it's not just the amount of fat but the type of fat in our diet that makes a difference -- some fats are acutally good for us because they help lower the risk of certain diseases. Now there's growing concern about the health risks of trans fats found in so many processed and fast foods. Although food labelling rules have changed, in the past unhealthy trans fats were not included on food labels so we sometimes consumed them without knowing it.

What are fats
Fats in foods are broken down into a myriad of fatty acids, each with its own chemical structure of long chains of carbon molecules attached to hydrogen atoms. Fatty acids are essential for various bodily functions, including cell growth and maintenance, hormone production and transportation of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) throughout the body. They also help support the immune system. Some fatty acids that are not used are stored in triglyceride molecules as fat, giving our bodies a vital source of energy.

When it comes to calories, all fats are created equal -- all have nine calories per gram. As well, all fats make food taste better and help make us feel full because they empty slowly from the stomach. But that's where the similarities end.

SATURATED FATS
Saturated fats (so-called because the fatty acids are completely saturated with hydrogen atoms) are solid at room temperature. A diet high in saturated fats can raise your LDL-cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) level and your risk of heart disease. You should limit your intake of saturated fats to 10 per cent of your daily calories. Animal products, such as poultry, eggs and full-fat dairy products, contain saturated fats, as do tropical oils, such as coconut, palm and palm kernel oils.

Saturated fats stats
Canola oil = 7%
Flaxseed oil = 10%
Sunflower oil = 12%
Corn oil = 13%
Olive oil = 15%
Soybean oil = 15%
Peanut oil = 19%
Lard = 43%
Palm oil = 51%
Butterfat = 68%
Coconut oil = 91%

TRANS FATS
Trans fats are created when a vegetable oil undergoes hydrogenation, a chemical rpocess in which hydrogen is added at high temperatures to make the oil solid. The process is commonly used by the food processing industry to prolong the shelf life of packaged products. Like saturated fats, trans fats raise LDL, or "bad," cholesterol and lower HDL, or "good," cholesterol. The well-known Nurses' Health Study showed that a woman's risk of developing type 2 diabetes increased with a greater intake of trans fats. To avoid trans fats, stay clear of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and margarines; packaged foods, such as crackers and cookies; snack foods, such as potato chips; commercially baked products; and restaurant french fries and other fast food menu items.