A Matter of Fat: Fat Basics

1. A Matter of Fat: Fat Basics

2. What is fat? FAT • is a nutrient • is a source of energy • adds taste and texture to foods • makes us feel full longer • helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins

3. Fat - Part of a Healthy Diet 20 – 35% of total Calories from fat • 2000-Calorie diet = 44 – 78 grams of fat Or 11 – 19 ½ teaspoons • 1500-Calorie diet = 33 – 58 grams of fat Or 8 ¼ – 14 ½ teaspoons

4. Eating well with Canada’s Food Guide Four food groups • Vegetables and Fruit • Grain Products • Milk and Alternatives • Meat and Alternatives

5. What Amount of Food do You Need?

6. Where is fat found? 1. Easy to see • Fat added to foods • Butter, margarine, oil • Fat on the outside of foods • Chicken skin, outside trim on meat 2. Hidden • Ingredient • Snack foods, baked products, desserts • Added in cooking • Fried foods, cream soups, sauces

7. Types of Fat • All fat-containing foods have a mixture of different fats • Types of fats include: • Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) • Monounsaturated fats (MUFA) • Saturated fats (SFA) • Trans fats (TFA)

8. Polyunsaturated Fats • Some are “essential” because the body cannot make them: • Omega-3 fats can help decrease the risk of heart disease • Omega-3 fats are found in fish, flaxseed and omega-3 eggs • Other foods with PUFA are • vegetable oils (corn, soybean, sunflower), margarines made with vegetable oils, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds

9. Monounsaturated Fats • Considered “good” fats because they help decrease the risk of heart disease • Examples: Olive oil, canola oil, margarine made with canola, peanuts, nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans)

10. Saturated Fats • Diets high in saturated fats can increase the risk of heart disease • Examples: butter, cakes and pastries, chocolate bars, coconut, coffee whitener are all high in saturated fat • Other sources of saturated fat include untrimmed meat and higher fat dairy products (e.g., cheese, cream)

11. Trans Fats • Are made from hydrogenation • This makes oils more firm. • Act like saturated fats in the body • Most found in commercially prepared foods • some French fries, potato chips, donuts, cookies, crackers, cereals, shortening, muffins, pizza crusts, buns, cakes

12. Naturally Occurring Trans Fats • Found in dairy and meat products • Some are not the same as those found in processed foods • Two types include: • Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) • may reduce risk of cancer and heart disease. • Trans vaccenic acid (TVA) • may reduce risk of heart disease • converted to CLA in body

13. Foods Have a Mixture of Fats

14. Quiz on Fats Why is fat important? Why is fat important? Fat is important because: • Fat is a nutrient • It is a source of energy • It adds taste and texture to food • It helps us feel full longer • It helps us absorb fat-soluble vitamins

15. Quiz on Fats Give three examples of foods that contain hidden fats. Give three examples of foods that contain hidden fats. Examples include: • Snack foods • Fried foods • Cream soups • Desserts

16. Quiz on Fats How much total fat is recommended in our diets? It is recommended that we have between 20 to 35% of our Calories from fat. It is recommended that we have between 20 to 35% of our Calories from fat.

17. Additional Information Nutrition Labelling resource: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/nutrition/index-eng.php www.healthyeatingisinstore.ca Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php Nutrition information and activities: www.dietitians.ca Recipes and more nutrition information about beef: www.beefinfo.org