unsaturated fats

Facing the Fats: 6 Truths and 1 Myth about replacing saturated fats in the diet (Part 4)

by Christina
24/04/2020

Thank you for continuing to follow this series on fats. I hope by this point, you have a better idea of the role of fats and know the differences among saturated, unsaturated, trans fats and essential polyunsaturated fats. Now as we don’t consider just nutrients when eating food, let’s talk about some practical ways to incorporate more healthy fats into our diets. I’ve tried to put together as many useful ways as I know, but if you have your own swaps and suggestions, feel free to sound off in the comments.

1. Eating Oily Fish and & Taking Omega 3 Supplements – TRUTH

Consuming oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and pilchards are a great way to incorporate more EFAs into your diet. There are UK guidelines for the consumption of oily fish along with other fish and shellfish because there is a concern about mercury poisoning. They recommend two 140g portions of fish including 1 oily fish.

Increasing the amount of salmon we consume can improve polyunsaturated fats and hence improve heart health. — Salmon fillets are great sources of PUFAs and essential fats. Source

As I am not particularly a fan of eating fish (unless I have cooked it), I aim to get my omega 3 through supplements or vegetarian sources. There is some controversy on the usefulness of fish oil supplements as compared to eating fish, but if you do consider taking them, you should consult your medical doctor for the best advice.

Pilchard is also a great source of essential fatty acids. — Cold-water fish like pilchards are also a great source of essential fatty acids. Photo by Diane Helentjaris on Unsplash

Facing the Fats: Polyunsaturated Fats and Essential fatty acids (Part 3)

by Christina
17/04/2020

So far in this series, we’ve talked about saturated, unsaturated and trans fats, now let’s deep dive into the polyunsaturated fats.

A handful of sunflower seeds can provide lots of polyunsaturated fats — A healthy handful of sunflower seeds can provide you with lots of PUFAs. Source

PUFA refers to another type of unsaturated fatty acids with multiple double bonds (polyunsaturation). The 2 main types are omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, but some omega 9 fatty acids also exist. PUFAs are named based on the position of their first double bond, but that’s a bit complex for this post.

So, let’s stick to omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, for example, gamma-linolenic acids (LA – omega 6), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA – omega 3), Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA – omega 3) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA – omega 3). These really seem like tongue-twisters to pronounce, but you don’t need to worry much about that.

Comparision of the structure of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids — Fatty acid chains with varying degrees of saturation.Pay close attention to the number of double bonds in the PUFA. Source

PUFAs have also been confirmed to have even better beneficial effects on blood cholesterol and blood lipid levels as well as heart health than MUFAs, and they have been associated with improved cardiovascular health. Especially omega 3 fatty acids which are considered essential fatty acids (EFAs) and are the building blocks of cell membranes, hormones and support inflammatory responses, as well as brain and nervous system function. The human body cannot produce ALA, EPA and DHA in sufficient quantities and so we gain them from a balanced diet.

Facing the Fats: Unsaturated Fats and trans-fats (Part 2)

by Christina
10/04/2020

To recap, triglycerides are what we typically call fats or oils which consist of 3 fatty acids fused to a glycerol backbone.

The basic structure of a dietary fat which is called a triglyceride or triacylglycerol. It is comprised of 3 fatty acid chains and one glycerol backbone. — R here represents the variable fatty acid chains. Source

Fats can come from animal or plant sources, providing and assisting with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E and K, along with essential fatty acids (EFAs). As we stated in part 1, the structure of fat has a big role in its function and you’ve probably heard lots about unsaturated vs saturated fats, trans fats or even weird abbreviations like MUFA, PUFA, EPA and DHA. So, what are these?

What are monounsaturated fats?

If you recall, saturated fats which come from animal sources, have as many hydrogens as possible surrounding the carbon atoms and can fit closely together like strands of wool closely packed to make a solid sweater. So typically, saturated fats are solid at room temperature, while unsaturated fats have fewer hydrogen atoms bonded to the carbon chain, forming kinks in the structure and enabling these lipids to be liquid at room temperature. Many unsaturated fats are available from plant sources.