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36 WWW.UNWLA.ORG “НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, СІЧЕНЬ 2018 WHAT’S YOUR FAT IQ? by Ihor Magun, M.D., FACP I am certain that most people have heard the phrase, “ A n educated consumer is our best customer . ” At first, it may seem a bit presumptuous, bu t on reflection, it makes perfect sense. Knowing more about some- thing permits us make better choices. And that applies to things related to what we eat and drink. Many people, for example, can use a refresher course on the concept of fats. After all, fats play a significant role in weight lo s s and weight gain and good nutrition in general . Fat is an essential part of a healthy diet , but i t is the selection of the types of fats that we consume that really matters. Knowing the difference between and among fa ts can guide “educated consumer” behavior. Let’s start by focusing on the nutrition facts that are on the labels attached to most p roducts. The information on these labels is worth looking at but it helps if we k now exactly what we are looking for when we read them and why the information matters. What follows is a brief and user friendly break down of the typical food label . Total Fat tells us the sum of all the fat in one serving. A typical 2 , 000 calorie a day diet should have no more than 65 grams of fat per day. Saturated F at is usually the next line on a food label. The total daily amount should be no more than 16 grams, roughly seven percent of all calories ingested. This type of fat raises the level of harmful cholesterol. Trans F at is a harmful fat and is frequently referred to as “partially hydrogenated oil . ” T rans fats are used to extend the shelf life of many cookies, donuts and certain cakes. If you see this in the product you are about to purchase, you should probably put it back and pick s omething else . Fortunately, the food industry will be phasing out trans fats this year (2018), a very smart decision . Polyunsaturated and M onounsaturated F at s are good fats. They should make up the major portion of our allotted daily fat content. Now tha t you know a bit about labels, you might find some additional points useful for expanding your fat IQ: • Saturated fats are solid at room temperature. They are mostly derived from animal products (butter) but are also found in some plant — based sources such as coconut and palm oil. Red meat also falls in to this category . • Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. They are healthier and come from plants (e.g., olive or peanut oil ) . It is also useful to have a basic understanding of fat as it rela tes to calories per gram: Fat provides 9 calories per gram, whereas protein and carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram. It is easy to see that fat has more calories by weight and also easy to figure out that you get more calories by eating less fat than by eating something else. The bottom line is that it does not matter where the calories come from — fat, protein , or carbohydrates — each source provides the same amount of energy to your body. But e ating more calories (i.e. , fat containing calories) translat es to excess weight in the form of fat. But it is also important to understand that fats are not some evil substance to be totally avoided. F ats are necessary for proper utilization of fat soluble vitamins ( A, D, E and K ) . They also supply essential fatty acids and keep y our skin looking healthy. Another thing worth mentioning here is a word or two about omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are found in cold water fish like salmon and tuna as well as in flax seeds, soy and walnuts. Consumption of this fo rm of fat is good, but as with everything else you eat, always in moderation. I hope this article has served as a useful road map to increas ing your Fat IQ and will serve as a useful tool to encourage and facilitate healthy food selections. When it comes to fat, t he bottom line is easy: Quantity appropriate to your needs balanced with a focus on getting the best quality of fat .
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