Fats: The Good, the Bad & the Gray Area

In the world of weight loss, fats have gotten a bit of a bad rap. But the truth is, your body needs dietary fat. Not only is it a major source of energy for your body, it is essential for the absorption of several important nutrients, like vitamins A, D, K and E, and it plays an important role in cellular function, blood clotting and muscle movement. Plus, you can thank fat for that satisfied feeling you get post-meal, which may be the very thing that stops you from overeating at the next.

Starting to think “fats” isn’t just another four-letter word?

Before you hit the drive-through for some fatty fast food, keep this in mind: there are a few different types of fats, and they aren’t all created equal. Some can help improve your health, while others can have the opposite effect. Read on for the skinny on fats.

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The Good
When it comes to beneficial fats, monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) and omega-3 fatty acids top the list. These types of fat are liquid at room temperature and serve up some pretty sweet health benefits. MUFAs improve blood cholesterol levels, which can reduce your risk of heart disease. They may also play a role in stabilizing blood sugar, which may help keep your appetite in check and reduce your risk of developing diabetes. Get your fill of this fat by adding nuts, avocado, olive oil, and peanut butter to your diet.

A type of polyunsaturated fat, omega-3 fatty acids may help lower cholesterol levels and support heart health. Plus, some scientists contend that these compounds may encourage the body to use fat for energy as opposed to storing it. Animal studies have suggested that omega-3s may help reduce body fat regardless of calorie cutting. To get your omega-3s, add fatty fish like salmon, sardines, mackeral or albacore tuna to your plate twice weekly. Walnuts, canola oil, flaxseeds and fortified eggs also dish out a healthy serving of this fat.

Healthy hint: On Nutrisystem, you can incorporate MUFA and omega-3 fatty acids into your plan as PowerFuels or Extras!

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The Bad
In the world of dietary fats, the worst, without question, is trans fat. This type of fat is a byproduct of hydrogenation, a process used to turn healthy oils into solids. Experts agree that consuming foods high in trans fats can increase the amount of bad cholesterol (LDL) and reduce the amount of “good” cholesterol (HDL) in the bloodstream. Research has also established a connection between trans fats and inflammation, a condition linked to heart disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions. Shockingly, research from the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that for every two percent of calories consumed from trans fats daily, the risk of heart disease grows by a whopping 23 percent. It’s no wonder the Food and Drug Administration estimates that phasing out trans fat could prevent up to 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 premature deaths each year.

Worried about your waistline? Trans fats can do some damage there as well. In a study at Wake Forest University, monkeys who consumed trans fats experienced four times the weight gain monkeys fed monounsaturated fats experienced, and had 30 percent more belly fat than the group that ate the MUFAs.

Luckily, the terrors of trans fats have not gone unnoticed. In 2006, New York City banned the use of this type of dietary fat in its restaurants. Many food manufacturers have opted to remove or reduce the amount of it from their products as well. Perhaps the most exciting news is that the FDA has given the food industry until 2018 to phase out this health hazard, unless the food producer gets special permission to include trans fats in its products.

In the meantime, you can avoid trans fats by paying close attention to the food label ingredients lists. Trans fats are typically disguised as “partially hydrogenated oils” on these lists, and are commonly found in foods like cookies, pastries and even French fries.

Healthy hint: Nutrisystem foods contain no added trans fats!

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The Gray Area
Commonly found in red meat, whole milk and cheese, saturated fats are solid at room temperature.

Past research has suggested that diets rich in this type of fat are associated with an increase in total cholesterol, as well as the “bad” cholesterol (LDL), which can cause complications with the heart and other arteries. However, recent explorations of the relationship between saturated fat and cardiovascular disease have led many to question the link. In fact, in a meta-analysis of more than 20 studies on the topic, researchers reported that there was not enough evidence to conclude that this type of fat increases the risk of heart disease.

While scientists continue to sort out the facts, you’d do well to swap saturated fats for those fats that serve up health benefits―like MUFAs and omega-3s.

Healthy hint: The Nutrisystem® program is designed to limit saturated fats to less than 10 percent of calories. This is in line with the current saturated fat recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.