Dear Jessica,

I’ve been hearing a lot about different types of fats and wanted to know which are the healthiest?

Confused About Fats

Dear Confused About Fats,

This is a great question, especially since there are a lot of differing opinions regarding which fats are healthy.  Here’s a summary of what I’ve learned, based on my research.

Almost everyone is in agreement that Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) are “good” fats since they are necessary for proper functioning of the body (e.g. cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and nervous systems).  You’ve probably heard these EFA’s referred to as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.  These are not created in our bodies so must be obtained from outside sources.  Our bodies need a specific omega-6 to 3 ratio, however, many people, following the Standard American Diet, consume too much omega-6.  Many believe this imbalance causes inflammation in the body.  Oils high in omega-6 include corn, soy, safflower and sunflower oils.  

Increasing consumption of healthy omega-3’s can easily be achieved through foods such as cold-water fish (e.g. salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines), flax seeds/oil, and walnuts/oil.  Since fish may contain high levels of mercury, an easy and safe way to ingest omega-3’s is by taking cod liver oil (which has been filtered to remove mercury) or flax seed oil.  Many consider cod liver oil one of the most effective forms of omega-3 and also an excellent source of vitamins A and D.  In general, omega-3 oils are very sensitive to heat and light and should not be cooked.

Olive oil is also considered very healthy.  It does not contain a high level of omega-3, however its omega-3 to 6 ratio is good and it contains flavonoids, which are known to have some of the same benefits as omega-3’s.  Olive oil is best suited for low to medium heat cooking since flavor is diminished as it is heated and some olive oil varieties have a low smoke point (oil begins to burn and decompose). 

While most people agree that the oils mentioned above are healthy, there are differing opinions as to whether or not saturated fats are healthy.

Some people feel that monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are the "good" fats and that consumption of saturated fats should be kept low.  Many consider saturated fats the main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol.  Monounsaturated fats are found in foods like avocados, nuts, olive oil, and canola oil (however there is some controversy regarding the health benefits of canola oil).  Foods rich in polyunsaturated fats include: safflower, sunflower, soybean and corn oil.

Conversely, some nationally recognized people such as Jordon Rubin and those at the Weston A. Price Foundation believe that our bodies need saturated fats and that they’re good for us.  Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and examples include coconut oil, palm oil, butter, dairy and meat.  Coconut oil has gained increased popularity because of its anti-microbial and anti-viral properties, as well as other health benefits.   It is also very heat stable and can be used in high-heat applications such as baking or frying. 

One thing almost everyone agrees on is that trans fats should be avoided.   These are fats that undergo an industrial process that converts a liquid oil into a solid in order to enhance shelf life or improve texture.  These fats are considered unhealthy and are often referred to as partially hydrogenated oils on ingredient labels.  The FDA has required that they be listed on the nutritional facts panel of packaged goods since 2006.

Hope this helps explain the different types of fats!

Jessica

In her free time, Jessica enjoys researching food and healthy eating.  If you have a food-related question that you would like answered in the journal, please email her at Jessica_L_Tucker@yahoo.com