The newly released Obesity in Canada report says that one in four Canadians are obese. Now is the time to talk about fats.
Dietary fats are given a lot of bad press. It is true they have twice as many calories as proteins and carbohydrates, but they carry and allow the absorption of essential nutrients such as vitamins A, D and E. Fats also provide a feeling of satisfying your hunger.
You need fats in your diet, but it is important to monitor the amount and quality. The amount of fat you require depends on your age.
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Fats are categorized as unsaturated, saturated and trans. Unsaturated are the healthiest and trans fats are the least desirable.
- The two main types of unsaturated fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Vegetable oil, nuts, seeds and avocados fall into the category of monounsaturated. Fish, fish oils, some nuts and seeds and some vegetable oils are polyunsaturated. These oils provide essential omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.
- Saturated fat, which raises LDL or bad cholesterol, is found in animal products such as beef, chicken, lamb, pork, veal, butter, cheese, whole milk, lard and shortening, as well as coconut, palm and palm kernel oil.
- Trans fat is made from a chemical process known as partial hydrogenation, such as turning liquid oil into a solid fat.
Saturated and trans fats have been shown to raise LDL, which increases the risk for heart disease. Unlike saturated fat, trans fat also lowers HDL, or good cholesterol. A low level of HDL cholesterol is also a risk factor for heart disease.
Health Canada says you can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease by replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats.
Until recently, most of the trans fat found in a typical Canadian diet came from hard margarines, commercially fried food and bakery products.
Our food supply is rapidly changing and the trans fat content of many of these products has now been reduced. It is still important to look at the Nutrition Facts label to make sure the food product you are buying has little or no trans fat.
Ways to reduce your fat intake:
- Cook leaner cuts of meat, skinless chicken and turkey.
- Buy fish every week.
- Choose low fat dairy products.
- Choose soft margarines that are low in saturated and trans fat.
- Buy less prepackaged food.
- Buy vegetables, fruit and whole grain products with no added fat.
- Serve meat alternatives such as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and tofu.
- Use vegetable oil in small amounts for stir frying and sautéing.
- Heat oil before frying to prevent the food from soaking up the oil.
- Fill a spray bottle with vegetable oil to spray pans instead of greasing.
- Make your own salad dressing. Add balsamic, rice wine and other vinegars. Flavour with lemon juice, mustard, garlic and herbs.
- When eating in restaurants, check the nutrition information of menu items before you order and ask for gravy, sauces and salad dressings on the side. Order smaller portions or share with someone. I often take my own container and remove excess food from my plate before I begin eating to ensure that I do not overeat.
Flavour and smoke point are the key factors to watch when selecting a fat or oil for cooking.
Smoke point is the temperature at which fat breaks down into glycerol and fatty acids, smoke is produced and the nutrition and flavour deteriorate. The normal temperature of deep frying is 375 F (190C).
Neutral flavoured oil such as grapeseed, safflower and canola have high smoke points and are ideal for pan and deep frying. Peanut oil has the highest smoke point, but some people may have an allergy.
Flavoured fats for pan frying in-clude olive oil, clarified butter and goose and duck fat. Rendered goose and duck fat are liquid at room temperature and are considered to be healthy choices.
Oils are also used for drizzling. They are used in salad dressings and with roasted vegetables, cooked fish, grains and crusty bread. Nut and seed oils such as walnut, hazelnut and sesame impart their distinctive flavours. Use sparingly. They are bursting with flavour and are expensive.
Flavoured oils fall into the same category as drizzling oils. An olive oil or a neutral tasting oil can be flavoured with truffles, lemons, herbs and exotic mushrooms.
Less healthy fat choices include tallow or suet, lard and bacon fat.
There is controversy with coconut oil. It is deemed to be the new healthiest fat but there is no solid scientific evidence to ascertain this. It is 86 percent saturated fat, but devotees claim that the fatty acid chains are shorter and therefore healthier.
Extra virgin olive oil remains my favourite. It falls into both the drizzling and the cooking categories. I use it because it’s a healthy oil, high in monounsaturated fats and trace nutrients. I also use it because it is the traditional oil used in the Mediterranean cuisines that I love.
I also like duck fat. It is high in un-saturated fats and closer to olive oil than butter in composition. And I use butter.
In the end, moderation is always key. Limit your intake of fats, especially saturated and trans fats. You need to match the fat to the cooking method and flavour. Each type of fat has its own special qualities.
- Take the skin and fat from a duck, avoiding the tail and neck areas.
- Cut skin and fat into medium- sized pieces and put into a heavy bottomed pot.
- Add water to cover and simmer over medium heat until water has evaporated and the skin pieces are crisp and have released their fat. That may take about two hours. Be careful not to burn.
- Strain fat through a sieve or coffee filter. Store in a sealed container in refrigerator or freezer.
Fat Type Smoke point
Canola oil Monounsaturated 400 F (204 C)
Corn oil Polyunsaturated 450 F (232 C)
Hazelnut oil Monounsaturated 430 F (221 C)
Extra Virgin 320 F (160 C)
Virgin 420 F (216 C)
Extra light 468 F (242 C)
Safflower oil Polyunsaturated 450 F (232 C)
Sunflower oil Polyunsaturated 450 F (232 C)
Duck fat 49% polyunsaturated 375 F (190 C)
