Oil change

Oil change

If you’re still eating saturated fats or trans fat, you may be overdue for an oil change.

Time to toss out those artery-clogging, hydrogenated palm and coconut oils and restock your shelves with healthier monounsaturated fats like olive oil and canola oil.

For starters, try a vegetable sauté with olive oil rather than butter. Three squirts of olive oil from a pump bottle (about 1 teaspoon) is enough to sauté in a non-stick skillet. Simply spread the oil with a pastry brush, and voila! Guilt-free frying!

Olive and canola oil are better for stir-frying than low-fat cooking spray. The lecithin in the sprays may burn at high temperatures.

GOOD FAT
Eat fish once or twice a week for its heart-protective omega-3 fatty acids. Also consume some foods rich in the omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid. Studies suggest that it also helps protect the heart. Foods rich in alpha-linolenic acid include canola, flaxseed and soybean oil.

BAD FAT
Limit intake of hydrogenated oils found in many packaged foods, including stick margarine, puddings, crackers, cookies and potato chips. Hydrogenation makes some of the unsaturated fats more saturated and results in "trans fats," which act like saturated fat, boosting blood cholesterol and increasing the risk of heart disease.

Source: Berkeley Wellness Letter

FAT PLAN
Use olive and canola oils when cooking instead of margarine and butter.
Aim to eat at least 3 to 9 ounces of fish a week.
Use walnuts, almonds and other nuts more frequently as a topping for cereal, yogurt or salads.
Add ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil to your diet.
Avoid processed foods such as chips, crackers and other foods with hydrogenated fats (a source of trans fats.)
Select whole-grain products over refined versions for small amounts of essential fats.
Include 4 to 5 servings of fruit and 4 to 5 servings of vegetables every day. This may sound like a lot at first, but you'll end up feeling more satisfied and will be less inclined to binge on empty sweets.

Source: Runner's World

Related links:
More olive oil, please
Olive oil seems to protect against colon cancer.

Heart healthy diet

Web MD feature with guidelines for fat intake.

How fats work
Information from the How Stuff Works site.

Butter vs. margarine issue
Comparison of butter, margarines and oils.

For tips on how to cut the fat in your diet, visit Hey, cut it out.

For details on the low-fat diet recommended for people with CPT deficiency, visit Divide and conquer.

Special essential fats, called omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids (found in nuts, vegetable oils, flaxseed and fish) are crucial for a strong immune system and healthy skin and nerve fibers. Even the ratio of fats is important. Too many imega-6 fats and too few omega-3s may contribute to a fragile immune system and weakened nerve fibers.
--Liz Applegate, Ph.D.