WEIGHT LOSS



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589 Metropolitan Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11211 tel. 917.561.6173

The Truth about Fat and Cholesterol:

The types of fats we choose are important to our health!

We need fat for brain development, vision and hormone production. Too much fat is unhealthy. Fats can be saturated, unsaturated or trans fat.

Types of Fat

Saturated fat is found mostly in foods from animals and some plants.

• Foods from animals - These include beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy products made from whole milk. These foods also contain dietary cholesterol.

• Foods from plants - These include coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil (often called tropical oils), and cocoa butter.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are the two unsaturated fats that are found mostly in oils from plants. These are heart healthy fats.

• Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA)-  include safflower, sesame and sunflower seeds, corn and soybeans, many nuts and seeds, and their oils. They are also the main fats found in seafood. They are generally liquid or soft at room temperature.

o Omega-3 (alpha linolenic acid) and Omega-6 (alpha linoleic) are essential polyunsaturated fatty acids that have heart healthy benefits. Walnuts and fatty fish* i.e. salmon, trout, tuna as well as flax seed oil, and ground flax seeds are high in Omega-3. (*Note: some types of fatty fish may be high in mercury levels.)

• Monounsaturated fats (MUFA) - include canola, olive and peanut oils, and avocados.

Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may help lower your blood cholesterol level when you use them in place of saturated fats in your diet. Saturated fats should be limited in your diet, but a moderate intake of all types of fat is best since all fats whether they are heart healthy or not, are high in calories.

Artificial trans fat, also known as trans fatty acid (TFA), is made when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to increase shelf life and flavor of foods. When polyunsaturated fat becomes partially hydrogenated, vegetable oil becomes shortening or hard margarine, pie crust becomes flaky and pudding creamy. Most partially hydrogenated oils are found in cookies, cakes, cereals, candy and processed foods, however, a small amount of trans fat is found naturally in some animal based foods. (Note: the majority of trans fat we consume is artificially made.)

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589 Metropolitan Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11211 tel. 917.561.6173

Fat and Its Effect on Cholesterol Levels

We can’t talk about fat without talking about cholesterol. We make cholesterol naturally in our bodies and we ingest it through foods we eat. Egg yolks, fatty meats, whole-fat dairy products like butter, milk, cheese, and ice cream have lots of cholesterol. Foods that are high in cholesterol tend to be high in saturated fat. Vegetables, fruits, and grains do not have any cholesterol.

Because cholesterol can build up in arteries, too much of it in the body can lead to heart disease or stroke. There are two types of cholesterol in the body. HDL or healthy cholesterol and LDL or lousy cholesterol--high levels of HDL or “healthy” cholesterol is associated with a decreased risk for heart disease, while high LDL or “lousy” cholesterol increases our risk for heart disease. So, it’s important to eat the healthy types of fats along with a healthy diet to keep your cholesterol intact!

|DIETARY FATS |

|Type of Fat |Main Source |State at Room |Effect on Cholesterol Levels |

| | |Temperature | |

|Monounsaturated |Olives; olive oil, canola oil, peanut |Liquid |Lowers LDL; raises HDL |

| |oil; cashews, almonds, peanuts, and | |Choose these fats |

| |most other nuts; avocados | | |

|Polyunsaturated |Corn, soybean, safflower, and |Liquid |Lowers LDL; raises HDL |

| |cottonseed oils; fish | |Choose these fats |

|Saturated |Whole milk, butter, cheese, and ice |Solid |Raises both LDL and HDL |

| |cream; red meat; chocolate; coconuts, | |Avoid/Limit these fats |

| |coconut milk, and coconut oil | | |

|Artificial Trans Fat |Margarines; vegetable shortening; |Solid or semi-solid |Raises LDL; lowers HDL |

| |partially hydrogenated vegetable oil; | |Avoid/Limit these fats |

| |some deep-fried foods; some fast | | |

| |foods; some commercial baked goods | | |

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