Why is fat so important in our diet?

Fat is one of the most essential macronutrients in our daily diet however people stray away from anything with FAT in the name due to the common thought that FAT is BAD! It is a common mistake to confuse the health promoting fats with the life threatening Trans fats and Saturated Fats.

So what is a Trans FAT??

A trans fat is a manufactured fat produced by food manufacturers to improve the taste, shelf life and texture of foods. It refers to the unsaturated fats that you see on food labels, they are a combination of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Trans fats are very harmful to your health, increasing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and they are also the main cause of clogged arteries. Trans Fats are so dangerous that many fast food chains are now starting to cut them out of their food, companies such as Burger King, Pizza Hut and McDonalds have realized the dangers. However this does not mean there is no danger! they are aware of the dangers however trans fats are still present, for example you could leave a Happy Meal on the shelf in the sun for 2 months and there will be no decomposition and the food will still be edible, (does this sound healthy)???

Health Promoting Fats

These Healthy Fats are called Linoleic acid (LA), Gamma linolenic acid (GLA), arachidonic acid (AA), alpha linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Fatty Acids are needed by the body for many different functions including your skin, respiratory and circulatory system, also your brain and organs. It is also vital for the absorption of essential Vitamins A,D,E,K with Vitamin D being the most vital vitamin in the body with over 300 different functions. The two Fatty Acids the body cannot produce are the Omegas 3 and 6.

Omega 3 plays a vital role in Brain function and is found in Oily Fish such as Mackerel, Salmon, Herring and Tuna. Fish should play a role in our daily diet apart from Tuna due to its high Mercury levels.

Omega 6 plays a vital role when it comes to the prevention of health problems such as Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, High Cholesterol and digestive difficulties. Good sources of Omega 6 would include Flaxseed, Walnuts, Pumpkin seeds and Raw leafy Vegetables.

 Here’s a table to help you understand the types of fats and the categories they fit into.

Monounsaturated	Polyunsaturated	Saturated	Trans Fat
Olive, Canola and peanut oil	Herring	Meat	Margarine
Nuts	Mackerel	Poultry	Cookies
Avocados	Salmon	Butter	Pastries
	Sardines	Cheese	Fried foods
	Walnuts	Cream
	Sunflower oil	Coconut oil
	Nuts and seeds
10% of your fat calories	10% of your fat calories	10% of your fat calories	This should be low in the diet

A good way to add Health Promoting Fats to your diet is through quality Omega Supplements including fish oils, Cod Liver Oil should be avoided!!! Adding Pine Nuts, Avocado and Olive Oil is a great addition to many meals and they taste great.

Hopefully I have made you more aware about the different types of fats but also educated you that not all fats are bad and some are essential so don’t avoid fat, fat is your friend!!!

Surprising Foods to Avoid when Losing Weight

Whether you made the popular New Year’s resolution to lose weight back in January, or if you’ve just decided to drop a few pounds for 2013 it can seem like an uphill struggle, especially when you’re stood with both feet planted on the starting line. Here at Fitness Essex we have created the below post to help you to identify which of the foods in your diet could be hampering your progress, and some of the foods may well surprise you! We all know that donuts and cakes are not appropriate diet foods; however did you know that your morning slice of buttery toast is one of the top sources of calories in your diet?

Our first piece of advice is to always read the labels on your food so that you can be sure of the levels of fats (particularly saturated and trans fats) and sugars which they contain. Some supermarkets make this easy by labelling their products clearly; however this is the exception rather than the norm. So, always read the label so that you can make an informed decision.

Surprisingly High Fat Foods:

·         Breakfast cereals & cereal bars – breakfast cereals and cereal bars are notorious for being very high in sugar, but for also blending into the background of our daily diets. Reading the label on some of the most popular cereals can be a real eye opener. Many cereals are full of healthy but very fatty nuts, and this combined with the milk you slosh over it could be causing you problems. Our advice would be to dodge the sugary kid’s cereals, cut down on the size of your bowl, add some fresh fruit to the mix and opt for skinny milk.

·         Breads, rolls & bagels – yes we all love hot buttery toast but bread can be very high in calories (and other nasties), particularly if it is made from refined grains (white bread). However, if you’re a bread lover don’t despair as there are healthier versions out there in the bakery aisle. Opt for healthy Vogal bread and cut down on the amount of butter you use. Simple!

·         Concentrated fruit juice – many brands of concentrated orange juice contain a startling amount of sugar. Sipping on some OJ can often make you feel like you’re being healthy by getting some of your 5 a day, however unless you are consuming ‘freshly squeezed not from concentrate’ orange juice you may be drinking sugar and preservatives rather than vitamins and minerals. Always read the label before you buy juice and go for the purest you can find.

·         Salad dressings – rustling up a bright, cheerful and healthy salad is great for the soul as well as the body, however if you then douse it in mayonnaise, salad cream or a salad dressing you may end up consuming more fat than if you’d opted for that sarnie. Be sparing with the dressing and add flavour by sprinkling a small amount of seeds on top.

·         Cheese and cheese spreads – cheese is exceptionally easy to get addicted to and is one of the dieter’s worst enemies. It’s in so many of the countries favourite dishes that it can be difficult to avoid, however even small amounts of cheese and cheese spread will derail a diet with its high fat content. So steer clear.

·         Alcohol – another menace for the dieter is alcohol! Alcohol is one of the most calorie-dense food stuffs around and therefore should be avoided by people who are trying to lose weight. Alcohol actually halts the burning of fat in the body and activates fat production and storage. Cut down as much as possible, and cut it out completely if you can! Every time you down a pint of beer you are consuming the equivalent of a slice of cheesy pizza…

We think that it’s important to end on a positive note here and to mention that not all fats are bad for us, and our bodies do need some good fats to function properly. It’s all a question of moderation, so yes go ahead and have a small handful of healthy walnuts nuts (which are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids), just don’t follow it up with lots of other high fat foods.