F ats are one of the main macronutrients. This means that they give our body energy (calories) and help to maintain our body systems. To meet our needs, it's recommended that fats make up about 20-35% of our daily calories. There are 3 main types of fats: saturated, unsaturated and trans fats. Let’s talk about the difference between them and how you can incorporate fats into your healthy eating routine.
What is fat and why do we need it?
Fats are essential for good health. They provide us with energy, protect our vital organs from damage, act as messengers in the body, and are necessary for brain development and controlling inflammation. Fats help with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins including vitamin A, D, E, K and minerals such as calcium, iron and magnesium. Fats are also essential for building cell membranes, blood clotting, and muscle movement. Not only do they provide nutritional benefits, but they also improve the taste, texture, mouthfeel, and satiation of meals, helping us feel full for longer. Unsaturated, saturated and trans fats all play different roles in our bodies.
UNSATURATED FATS
SATURATED FATS
TRANS FATS
How to incorporate fat into your diet
Consider how fats are already incorporated into your balanced plate. To make your meals balanced, try to include a protein-rich food, starches, vegetables/fruit and some healthy fats. For example, they may be found in the protein-rich food you include, such salmon, eggs, meats, nuts, seeds, nut butters, or dairy products. To reduce your intake of saturated fats, try to choose leaner cuts of meat and/or incorporate more fish and plant-based sources of protein into your eating patterns, such as tofu, beans, chickpeas, and lentils. Pairing animal and plant-based proteins at meals is another great way to reduce your saturated fat intake, such as beef and black bean tacos or a chicken and chickpea curry. You may also want to incorporate fats into the vegetables/fruit part of your meal by adding avocado or using olive oil to cook or dress your vegetables. Fats may also be spread on your starches, such as butter on toast, avocado oil in a fried rice, or olive oil on roasted yams.
Take away points
Written by Tamara Smallwood and Liz Powell, RD.
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