Fats, Oils and Spreads
Contents
The role of fat
Fat has an important role in the body. It fulfils a wide range of functions which include
- supplying energy for the body
- providing essential fatty acids the body can’t make itself
- helping the body to absorb certain vitamins (A, D, E and K)
- insulating the body and providing a protective layer around vital organs.
Although our bodies need small amounts of fat, it is important that we do not eat too much. Your risk of heart disease is increased when you have diabetes, so it is important to follow an eating plan that helps to keep your heart healthy.
Eating too much fat can cause you to put on weight, as when compared to other nutrients, fats and oils are very high in calories:
1 tablespoon of oil (15 g fat) = 135 calories
Being overweight can contribute to high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It can also make it more difficult for you to manage your diabetes.
Types of fat
There are several different types of fat and choosing the right type is important for the health of our heart.
Table 1 below explains the different types of fat, foods they are found in and the implications each one has on our health.
Table 1: Types of fat
|
Type |
Food sources |
Health implications |
|
Saturated fat |
Butter, lard, ghee, palm oil, dripping, coconut oil, hard cheese, cream, fatty meat |
Can increase the amount of cholesterol in your blood, especially harmful LDL cholesterol (‘bad cholesterol’) |
|
Trans fat |
Biscuits, cakes, pastries, deep-fried foods |
Most trans fats are industrially produced and can cause the same problems as saturated fats |
|
Monounsaturated fat |
Olive and rapeseed oils and spreads |
Can help to maintain HDL cholesterol (‘good cholesterol’) levels, with positive health benefits |
|
Polyunsaturated fat |
Soya, sunflower and corn oils and spreads, nuts, seeds, oily fish |
Provide essential fatty acids that the body can’t produce. Can lower levels of triglyceride (a type of fat in the blood), with positive health benefits |
Replacing saturated and trans fats with moderate amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can be beneficial.
However, many people wrongly think that these ‘good’ fats are lower in calories. All types of fats are high in calories, so whichever fat you choose to use, make sure that you limit the amount. One gram of fat contains nine calories, whereas one gram of carbohydrate or protein contains only four calories.
Recommended amounts
The maximum amount of fat that you should eat in one day is outlined in Table 2 below.
Table 2: Recommended daily fat intake
|
Male adults |
Female adults |
|
|
Total fat per day |
90 g |
70 g |
|
Saturated fat per day |
35 g |
20 g |
Tips to reduce your fat intake
- Use less butter, ghee, lard, coconut oil and spreads.
- Measure out oils onto a teaspoon rather than pouring them from the bottle.
- Choose lower-fat cooking methods such as grilling, poaching or steaming.
- Use spray oils.
Food labels
Reading food labels carefully can also help you cut down on the amount of total and saturated fats you eat.
For a product to be labelled ‘lower fat’, ‘reduced fat’, ‘lite’ or ‘light’, it has to contain at least 30% less fat than a similar product. This does not mean that it is low in fat, however. A lower-fat cheddar cheese has 30% less fat than normal cheddar, but it is still high in fat.
Low-fat foods can also be higher in sugar, so they may not always be lower in calories. To be sure of the fat and calorie content of the food, it is important to always check the label.
Total fat
- High-fat – more than 17.5 g of fat per 100 g
- Low-fat – 3 g of fat or less per 100 g or 1.5 g of fat per 100 ml
- Fat-free – 0.5 g of fat or less per 100 g or 100 ml
Saturated fat
- High in saturated fat – more than 5 g of saturates per 100 g
- Low in saturated fat – 1.5 g of saturates or less per 100 g or 0.75 g of saturates per 100 ml
- Saturated fat free – 0.1 g of saturates per 100 g or 100 ml
