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Monthly WellPATH Spotlight
March 2017: Nutrition
Fats have earned a bad reputation in
the health field, but not all are bad for
your body. In fact, certain fats like the
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are essential
and provide energy to our body.
UNDERSTANDING FATS Our body naturally produces all the fats it needs from other fats or raw materials. However, when we eat foods high in saturated and trans-­‐fat our liver produces more cholesterol. The saturated fat and trans-­‐fat cause your LDL (low-­‐
density lipoprotein) “bad” cholesterol to increase. Saturated fats come from animal products such as meat, milk, cheese, butter, yogurt and other dairy products. Trans-­‐fat is found in processed foods such as French fries, doughnuts, pizza, crackers and many others. HDL (high-­‐density lipoprotein) “good” cholesterol protects your heart by removing the “bad” cholesterol from your body. You are able to increase your healthy cholesterol by consuming more of the Omega-­‐3 Fatty Acids. The Omega-­‐3 fats are essential to our body but since our body doesn’t naturally produce these fats, we must obtain them from food. Omega-­‐3 fatty acids may decrease triglycerides (fat in your blood), lower blood pressure slightly, reduce blood clotting, decrease stroke and heart failure risk and reduce irregular heartbeats. Triglycerides are another type of unhealthy fat that is calculated into your total cholesterol count. TYPES OF OMEGA-­‐3 FATTY ACIDS Omega 3-­‐fats are essential to the family of polyunsaturated fats. The main forms of Omega-­‐3 fats include: Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Decosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) are found particularly in fish. Fatty fish, such as salmon, lake trout, mackerel, herring, sardines and tuna, contain the most omega-­‐3 fatty acids and therefore the most benefit. For adults, at least two servings of fish a week are recommended. A serving size is 3.5 ounces, or about the size of a deck of cards. Alpha-­‐linolenic Acid (ALA) is found in leafy vegetables, flaxseed, flaxseed oil, walnuts, canola oil, soybeans and soybean oil. UNDERSTANDING THE FOOD LABEL Reading the food label can become a little overwhelming if you don’t know what to look for. Food labels provide important information about the foods you consume and can be a great tool for healthy eating. By learning how to use the food label you will be able to determine which foods you should eat more of and those that need to be avoided. The key is to look for foods that are low in sodium, cholesterol, saturated fats, and trans fats. Other important items to look for on a food label include: 1. Start by checking the serving size. Serving sizes are standardized to make it easier to compare similar foods. The size of the serving on the food package influences the number of calories and all the nutrient amounts listed on the top part of the label. 2. Calories. Calories provide a measure of how much energy you get per serving. 40 Calories per serving is LOW, 100 Calories is MODERATE, 400 or more calories per serving of a single food item is HIGH. REMEMBER: The number of servings you eat determine the number of calories you intake. 3. Percentage Daily Value. In this area, aim to have low daily values of fat, cholesterol and sodium and higher daily values of dietary fiber and vitamins. Five percent (5%) DV or less is low, and 20% DV or more is high. REMEMBER: Try to eat mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. 4. Footnotes. A reminder that the daily values are based on 2,000 calories. If you consume more than 2,000 calories you can eat foods with higher daily values. However, if you consume less than 2,000 calories, you should be eating foods with a low daily value. Source: https://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm274593.htm#serving_size