Fortunately for our taste buds, all this has recently changed. Researchers and nutritionists now recognize that, while many fats are “bad” for you, just as many are beneficial to the health.

Types of Fats
Although all fats are high in calories (and therefore should be sparingly incorporated into the diet), the way fats are structured differs widely. Generally speaking, saturated fats are “bad” fats and unsaturated fats, in moderation, are beneficial. Fats are made of chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms. The term “saturation” refers to whether all the available spaces on the carbon atoms are bonded to hydrogen atoms, or if there are some hydrogen atoms “missing” from the chain. The three types of fat found in nature are saturated fats, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Here’s a breakdown of what they are, and how they impact your health:

Saturated fats: These fats are normally solid at room temperature and include butter, lard, coconut and palm oil. A diet high in saturated fats is believed to contribute to heart disease, by elevating the level of LDL (bad) cholesterol. Many doctors believe that the risk of developing certain types of cancer (including colon and breast cancer), may be linked to a high intake of saturated fats.

Saturated fats are found in high fat cuts of meat, poultry with the skin left on, butter, cheese, fried foods and most tropical oils. Dairy products such as yogurt and cream cheese spreads that are whole or two percent milkfat are also considered primary sources of saturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats: These fats are normally liquid at room temperature. Monounsaturated fats include olive oil, canola oil and peanut oil. They are also found in avocados, most nuts and nut butters, and in sesame and pumpkin seeds. (Olive oil is considered the best oil for cooking as it remains stable at higher temperatures and does not easily become hydrogenated or saturated.)

Monounsaturated fats lower LDL (bad) cholesterol but leave the HDL (good) cholesterol levels the same.

Polyunsaturated fats: Like monounsaturated fats, these fats are normally liquid at room temperature. They include the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, the correct balance of which is extremely beneficial for the health.

Omega-3 fatty acids are used by the body to manufacture hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. These have anti-inflammatory properties. They help protect the heart by lowering triglycerides and reducing the incidence of death from heart attack. Omega-3 fatty acids are primarily found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring and rainbow trout, as well as flaxseed oil.

Omega-6 fatty acids are utilized by the body to create prostaglandins that promote inflammation. They are found in corn, safflower, soybean and sunflower oils. An inappropriate balance of these two types of essential fatty acids contributes to the development of disease while a proper balance helps maintain or improve health. Health professionals believe that the most beneficial ratio of omega-6:omega-3 fatty acids is 4:1. The diet of most North Americans is estimated to be closer to 20:1.

Hydrogenated fats (trans fats): These manufactured fats are considered bad for the health. At press time the Canadian government is considering a motion introduced in the House of Commons last year to ban their use Canada-wide. (Currently, Denmark is the only country to have banned trans fats.) Trans fats are bad for you because they increase LDL (bad) cholesterol, leading to plaque in the blood and associated clogging of the arteries. Trans fats also decrease the HDL (good) cholesterol in the blood. Since HDL “mops up” excess cholesterol in the arteries, reducing this form of cholesterol can ultimately lead to heart attack and stroke.

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What Are Trans Fats?
Trans fats (sometimes called trans fatty acids) are synthetically manufactured fats added to foodstuffs to improve their shelf-life. Fast foods, commercially baked goods (doughnuts, muffins, crackers, cookies), processed foods, fried foods, instant noodles, non-dairy creamers, frozen pie crusts, chocolate coatings and stick margarine are examples of foods that usually contain trans fats.

Trans fats are created when a liquid vegetable oil is chemically treated with hydrogen to turn it into a solid. This procedure raises the melting point, improves baking qualities, and prevents rapid deterioration of foodstuffs. Unfortunately, it also alters the structure of fats, making them harmful.

Trans fats are not normally labelled as such, but commonly appear in ingredient lists as vegetable oil shortening or hydrogenated/ partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, soybean oil, etc.

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Improving Your Fat Intake

Here are some pointers on improving your intake of dietary fats:

• Reduce your overall consumption of meats, especially red meats that are high in fat content.
• Trim visible fat from chops and other cuts of meat, and remove skin from poultry.
• Limit butter, gravy, and sauces made with animal fats or other solid fats.
• Consume only low-fat dairy products.
• Eat more plant-based foods: fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, legumes (peas, beans, lentils, garbanzos, soy beans, tofu and soy products), nuts, and seeds.
• Use olive oil for sauteing or frying.
• Eat fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring or rainbow trout at least twice a week.
• Use olive oil or flaxseed oil in salads. 
• Snack on a handful of nuts two or three times a week.
• Learn to decipher nutritional content labels. Saturated fats are usually listed. Trans fats are normally shown as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats or oils. However, in Canada, labelling of trans fats is voluntary. If you want to avoid trans fats altogether, buy only fresh foods and products that state “no trans fats.” (Health Canada has given food manufacturers until 2006 to revise their labelling procedures.)

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Omegas in Balance
Why the Correct Ratio is So Important
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are both essential to survival. Together, they play key roles in the functioning of every cell within the body.

Omega-3 fatty acids include polyunsaturated plant and fish oils. One of the most important omega-3 fatty acids is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is linked with lower risk of heart disease in men and women. Flax seeds and flax oil are the richest source of ALA. Other sources include canola oil, walnuts and walnut oil, soy-based products and omega-3 eggs.

Omega-6 fatty acids are present in most vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, breads and other baked or processed goods, and wheat germ. It is very important that the dietary intake of Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids be in the correct proportion. (Omega-6:omega-3 should be approximately 4:1.) The problem is that most North Americans consume far too many omega-6 fatty acids. Since the excess intake of omega-6s interferes with the proper metabolism of omega-3s, the beneficial effects of omega-3s are suppressed, giving rise to inflammation, elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol, and raised triglycerides - all risk factors for heart disease. An imbalance in the essential fatty acids is also linked to depression, arthritis, psoriasis and other auto-immune diseases.

To improve your omega-6:omega-3 fatty acid ratio, you may consider investing in an omega fatty acid supplement. London Naturals Omega comprises fish, flax and borage oils, to provide a healthy balance of essential fatty acids. (Borage oil is a rich source of gamma linolenic acid - GLA - an omega- 6 fatty acid shown to have multiple health benefits. Omega is available as 100 easy-to-swallow softgels, at London Drugs.

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