Eating Right for a Healthier Heart!

It is time for a serious heart to heart. Eating the right amount of the right types of fat is

positively good for your health. Fat also has a host of valuable functions in the body.

Why you need fats:

Are an important source of energy;

Protect your vital organs;

Provide essential fatty acids that cannot be made by your body;

Help you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Fats and Heart Health:

Fats have a different effect on cholesterol. Saturated and trans fats are "bad" fats because they increase cholestrol levels. Unsaturated fats are "good" in the sense that they are lower in cholestrol levels. By replacing "bad" fats with the "good" fats your are lowering your cholestrol levels and looking after your heart.

Losing weight is a good step towards a healthier heart. All fats are high in calories. If you are trying to lose weight, take particular care to moderate your overall fat intake. However, it is the quality or type of fat that is most important.

Omega 3 and Omega 6 polyunsaturated fats, or "good" oils, are particulary very good for your heart health.

Essential Fats:

Your body cannot make essential fats, therefore you must get them from the Omega Oils in your food. These fas are important for normal growth and development, formation of hormones and general health and well being.

Type of Fat: Saturated Fats
Effect on your heart: Bad
Food Source: Meat, Butter, Full Fat Dairy Products, and Tropical Oils.

Type of Fat: Trans Fats
Effect on your heart: Bad
Food Source: Cakes, Pasteries, Fast Foods.

Type of Fat: Polyunsturated Fats (Omega 6):
(Omega 6 oils reduce cholesterol levels and are found mainly in plant foods)
Effect on your heart: Good
Food Source: Sunflower seeds, Sesame Seeds, Canola oil, soybean oil, walnut oil, corn oil, and spreads that are made from them.

Type of Fat: Polyunsturated Fats (Omega 3)
(The plant form of Omega 3 is found in walnuts and flaxseed, canola and vegetable oils. A more complex form of Omega 3 is found in fish, particularly oily fish like kippers, mackerel, herring and salmon.)
Effect on your heart: Good
Source: Oily Fish, Vegetable Oils (flaxseed/linseed oil; soya bean oil; canola oil) Nuts and Spreads that are made from them.

Type of Fat: Monounsaturated Fats
(They help to control cholesterol levels simply by taking the place of some "bad" fat in the diet.)
Effect on your heart: Good
Source: Olive oil; Canola oil; Peanut oil and Avocado oil.

Fats you need less of...

Saturated Fats:
Butter, lard, fatty meats, meat products like sausages and burgers, full fat milk, cheese and diary products, as well as pastries are the main sources of saturated fat. It is not necessary to cut these foods out completely, but it is a good idea to choose a lower fat option where possible and to cut down your portion sizes.

Trans Fats:
Trans fats are formed during the partial hydrogenation of unsaturated fats to make them more solid. Trans fats are often used in commercially produced cakes, pastries and biscuits. It is also found in butter, whole milk, beef and mutton.

Use Food Labels:
We can see the fats and oils we use for cooking and spreading, but almost three quarters of the fat we consume comes from foods like cakes, biscuits, savoury snacks and meat products where the ft is not visible. Read food labels like those on spreads and oils will also tell you the types of fas they contain.

Remember to choose those high in good polynsaturated and monounsaturated fats, and low in bad saturated and trans fats.