Fat is Back: Inside the New Guidelines
/It is a common misconception that dietary fat is bad for you and should be avoided at all costs. In fact, fats are essential for numerous body functions, including cell membrane repair, body warmth, organ protection and energy; some vitamins, appropriately called fat-soluble vitamins, actually need fat to dissolve and be absorbed by your body. What is important to remember about fats is that some are healthier for you than others – and the types of fats you choose to consume will directly impact your health.
Fatty food may be seeing a comeback due to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, due out later in 2015. Rumor has it, a number of big changes around dietary fat recommendations may be ahead.
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee which is a panel of 14 experts on the latest scientific evidence on diet and health since the current guidelines were published back in 2010. These guidelines have major effects on how the American public eats.
The committee decided that limiting the intake of total fat in an individual's diet didn't have a health benefit, however the 2010 guidelines declared no more fat should be 20% to 35% of total daily calories. But the committee is sticking by their recommendation of keeping the intake of saturated fat found in cheese, butter, whole milk and beef to only 10% of total daily calories.
It seems the committee wants the guidelines to emphasize the fat quality rather than total fat since studies show saturated fat is the driver of chronic disease risk rather than total fat intake. Reducing saturated fat could lower the risk of heart disease if its replace with polyunsaturated fat, the "good" fat, found in fatty fish like salmon and in some vegetable oils such as soybean and corn oil.
They also concluded monounsaturated fats found in olive oil are also good for heart health. The guidelines want to urge government agencies to formally state there is no upper limit on fat. The new guidelines would directly affect school lunches, programs that supplement food for women and children and nutrition for government work sites and also indirectly influence consumer choices and food production process.
Below are some tips to help you choose healthy fats; remember, though, that even healthy fats are high in calories, please consume in moderation.
- Focus your food choices towards MUFAs and PUFAs and away from saturated and trans fats. When grocery shopping, be sure to read the nutrition label carefully and only choose foods where 0 trans fat is listed. Also try to avoid “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.”
- Use liquid plant oils when cooking and baking. Olive and canola oils are much healthier to cook and bake with, respectively, than butter.
- Incorporate at least one serving of omega-3 fats every day. Omega-3’s are found in salmon, tuna, walnuts, canola oil, flaxseed oil and spinach.
- Reduce consumption of red meat and dairy. These foods are high in saturated fat, so actively choose leaner cuts and consume them in moderation. Chicken, fish and nuts are good substitutes and provide healthier sources of fats. Instead of adding cheese to your sandwiches or salads, opt for avocado slices instead.