Eat right & love it

Which fats are bad for us, and which are good?

By JORGE SOSA
Staff Writer

Words are funny.

When I was a kid, I learned that “bad” could describe something that was actually good, as in, “Those are some bad Nikes, man.”

A few years later, I discovered that “phat,” pronounced “fat,” could also mean something good. For example: “Those are some phat jeans, yo.”

Imagine my utter bewilderment when dietitians started talking about good and bad fats. How could something phat be both good and bad? And what about trans fats? You mean there’s male fats that like to dress in women’s clothing?

If you’re as confused by the good, the bad and the ugly of fats as I once was, don’t just bury your anxiety with a plateful of Oreos. Well, you can if you want to. It’s a free country. But read on to find out just what you’re stuffing your face (and your arteries) with.

The good
Let’s get one thing straight. Fat can be good for you, if it’s the right kind and consumed in moderation.
Fat doesn’t just make food rich and tempting. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, fat is a source of energy and helps your body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K, and carotenoids. Researchers including those at the University of New Hampshire believe carotenoids can reduce the risk of various diseases, including cancer.

Even better, polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats may help lower your blood cholesterol level, according to the American Heart Association.

The association recommends limiting your total fat intake to 25 percent to 35 percent of the calories you consume. Most of the fat should be polyunsaturated or monounsaturated, which can be found in fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and oils including soybean, corn, safflower, canola and sunflower.

The bad
Before you get crazy with the Cheez Whiz, you’d better learn about saturated fats. These fats are the main dietary culprit behind high blood cholesterol. High cholesterol can lead to narrowing of the arteries, heart attacks and strokes.

Saturated fats are mostly present in food from animals (beef, veal, lamb, pork, poultry, cream, milk and cheese) and certain plants (coconut and coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil, and cocoa butter).

The American Heart Association recommends keeping your saturated fat intake at less than 7 percent of your total daily calories.

One easy way to tell how much saturated fat is in your food is to read the ingredients and Nutrition Facts label ... and weep. Yeah, about that Cheez Whiz. Two tablespoons of that delectable processed cheese sauce will give you 22 percent of your recommended daily saturated fat allowance.

The ugly
Trans fats are as bad as saturated fats, according to the FDA. Both can raise your cholesterol, and some researchers believe trans fats are even worse than saturated ones.

They are formed when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to create solids such as vegetable shortening and hard margarine. You’ll find trans fats in some crackers, cookies and other snacks, or in some fried and baked foods.

Cities in the U.S. and countries around the globe are even banning the use of trans fats in restaurants. Due to mounting legal pressure, many well-known products sold in the U.S. that contained trans fats have been reformulated. These include Crisco shortening, Girl Scout cookies and yes, Oreos. Fast-food restaurant chains are also phasing out trans fats in some of their products.

Again, it’s important to check Nutrition Facts labels for trans fat contents. The American Heart Association recommends limiting your trans fat intake to a miniscule one percent of your total daily calories.

Oddly enough, there seem to be no ill health effects in just “chewing the fat” with your buddies — as long as you’re not doing it literally.

IF YOU’RE COOKING AT HOME
<< For heart-healthy recipes from the American Heart Association, check out www.DeliciousDecisions.org. This Web site features a convenient search engine that lets you plug in whatever main ingredients you have on hand, as well as different styles of cuisine (Asian, German, Hispanic, Italian and others).

IF YOU’RE DINING OUT
<< If you’re dining out, the American Heart Association has healthy menu suggestions for everything from fast food to steakhouses. Tips for eating out can be found online at www.AmericanHeart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=531.