Your Health

Fats And Oils In A Healthy Diet

Posted: 1/7/2012

Look closely at food labels and watch out for trans fats, nutritionists advise.

(NAPSI)—Health risks associated with trans fat consumption have remained a topic of concern over the last several years. Excessive intake of trans fats—which can be found in foods such as packaged foods, fried foods and certain vegetable shortenings or margarines—can potentially lead to cardiovascular disease.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the recommended alternative to trans fat has been mono- or polyunsaturated fats, which are known to reduce overall cholesterol levels. However, some experts question what impact an increased intake of these unsaturated fats will have on the overall health of Americans. Data has shown that increased consumption of polyunsaturated fat may, in fact, negatively impact health, leading to weight gain and coronary heart disease.

To get the same flavor and texture that a trans fat provides, many products require an alternative solid fat as a replacement. It can often be challenging to accomplish this with only unsaturated fats. Instead, food manufacturers rely on a blend of fatty acids found in sources such as palm oil, which contains a balanced mix of saturated and unsaturated fats.

“The greatest benefit of palm oil is that it has similar functional properties as trans fat, so it may be effectively substituted without the negative health outcomes,” says Stacey Day, MS, RD. “In fact, studies suggest that palm oil raises HDL, which is the good cholesterol.”

According to Day, when looking at a nutrition label, keep these things in mind:

• Avoid food products containing partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated vegetable oils and shortenings.

• Look for healthier alternatives to trans fats, such as palm oil, which is a balanced blend of saturated and unsaturated fats.

• An alternative such as palm oil raises HDL cholesterol levels, which is good cholesterol, and has been shown to have neutral effect on LDL cholesterol levels, which is bad cholesterol. This results in better cardiovascular health.

Consumers are encouraged to look closely at their nutrition labels and watch out for trans fats. More information on palm oil can be found at www.americanpalmoil.com.