Earlier this year, Time magazine ran an article with the tag line: “Scientists labelled fat the enemy. Why they were wrong.” The story went on to suggest saturated fats aren’t as bad as previously thought, and said that diet guidelines should be overhauled. Some scientists agreed, some didn’t, and we were left confused. So what exactly should we be eating in terms of fat?
Unfortunately, there’s no definite answer everybody agrees on. We’re certainly emerging from a culture in which we were told that dietary fat was just plain bad and everything low fat was fabulous. We know trans fats should be avoided and aren’t likely to ever emerge from the unhealthy diet wasteland. We know omega-3 and omega-6 fats are good for us. Previously, we avoided saturated fats. But recent research suggests saturated fats – found in foods such as red meat and full-fat dairy foods – may not be the heart attack-inducers they were thought to be.
The bottom line is the human body needs fat. Not all fats are created equal when it comes to their impact on health and, as more research is showing, lumping them all into the same camp or trying to live a fat-free existence can be bad for your health.
The essential nutrients
Along with proteins and carbohydrates, fats are macronutrients that are essential for a whole lot of bodily functions, from providing energy, being shock absorbers for organs and transporting vitamins and other fat-soluble substances around the body.
Loosely speaking, there are four types of fat: saturated from animals, including dairy; monounsaturated from nuts, seeds, olives and avocados; polyunsaturated, including the healthy omega-3 and -6 fatty acids; and the all-bad trans fats, which are found in highly processed deep-fried and commercially-baked packaged foods.
Now a growing number of scientists worldwide who are no longer prepared to say saturated fats are bad and should be avoided at all costs. The study referenced in Time turned many previously held thoughts about fat on their head.
In that study, researchers at Cambridge University in the UK found that current evidence doesn’t support guidelines that restrict saturated fatty acid intake to reduce the risk of heart attack.
The heart of the matter
The Heart Foundation, however, is still very much in the camp of saturated fats naysayers. “Eating too much saturated fat has been shown to raise the level of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in your blood.” They also said, “High levels of LDL cholesterol, in particular, contribute to the build-up of fatty material, called plaque, on the inside of your blood vessels. These fatty build-ups can block the arteries and increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.”
There’s an “international scientific consensus” that replacing saturated fat with “good” unsaturated fat, in particular polyunsaturated fat, reduces the risk of heart disease. This position is supported by the World Health Organisation, other leading international heart associations such as the American Heart Association, the CSIRO and the Dietitians Association of Australia.
So... hold the butter?
Dietitians said, “If people are eating a healthy diet that’s rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, then a scrape of butter on their Vegemite toast isn’t going to hurt. In fact, evidence is showing that the body likes a combination of fats,” they said. “If you hate the taste of low-fat cheese or enjoy the occasional cappuccino with full-fat milk and are eating lots of fruits and veggies and other healthy foods, then you don’t need to beat yourself up.”
It’s a good idea to replace saturated fats with healthier fats. Salmon is considered a very healthy fish that’s rich in good fats. However, 100g can also contain 5g of saturated fat and, ideally, we shouldn’t be consuming much more than 10g of saturated fat a day. And here the rules are challenged because a slice of cake may only have 4g of saturated fat – but what’s the healthier food option? It’s the salmon, of course,” the dietitian added.
