Whole Foods Market In the "old days" no one even considered that smearing butter on sandwiches, toast, and vegetables; cooking chicken, fish and potatoes in deep-fryers; and eating red meat three times per day could be detrimental to one's health. Now, terms like "hydrogenated" and "saturated" vs. "poly-unsaturated" and "monounsaturated fats" can make one wonder if a chemistry or nutrition degree is required to perform even the most basic cooking procedures. While our access to choices in fats, cooking methods, and nutrition information has increased considerably within the past ten years, a few simple guidelines can help make practical sense of it all. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Facts About Fat All vegetable oils contain saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fatty acids in unique combinations. The higher the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fat, the better it is for your health. Saturated fats have been linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease. A higher percentage of saturated fats can increase total blood cholesterol, especially the "bad" low density lipoproteins (LDL). Oils and fats with a high proportion of saturated fats include palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, butter, and lard. Substituting some of the saturated fats in your diet with polyunsaturated fats tends to decrease total blood cholesterol. Unfortunately, it also lowers the amount of "good" cholesterol, high density lipoproteins (HDL). An overabundance of polyunsaturated fats in the diet may also increase cancer risk. Oils and fats with a high proportion of polyunsaturated fats include soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, and cottonseed oil. In contrast, monounsaturated fats seem to help reduce levels of LDL while preserving the beneficial HDL. Oils high in monounsaturated fats include canola oil, olive oil, high-oleic safflower oil, high-oleic sunflower oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ How much is ok? Currently, most experts recommend that all fats be limited to no more than 30% of total daily calories. Of that amount, saturated fats should constitute less than 10% of total daily calories. The remaining 20% should be divided between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. In practical terms this means that if you consume approximately 2000 calories per day, 600 of your calories may come from fats. As each tablespoon of oil (14 grams) contains 120 calories, theoretically you can consume up to 5 tablespoons of oil and still remain within the 30% guideline. However, this 5 tablespoons also includes all the hidden fats found in baked goods, candy, meats, fish, poultry, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, crackers, eggs, salad dressings, as well as the oil and butter you use to sautŽ or flavor foods. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Margarine How does margarine fit in a heart-healthy diet? Margarine is a hydrogenated fat similar to the hardened vegetable shortenings sold in a can. The hydrogenation process involves adding hydrogen atoms to soybean, corn, and other liquid oils to make the oils more solid and resistant to rancidity. This process changes many of the oil's unsaturated fatty acids, making them more saturated and transforms their chemical structure. Appropriately, these altered fats are called "trans-fatty acids". Concerns have been that trans-fatty acids may increase the risk of heart disease, cancer and perhaps other problems. Results of a study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine found that diets high in trans-fatty acids raised the "bad" LDL cholesterol almost as much as the saturated fats. More significant was that, unlike the other diets, the trans-fatty diet also lowered the "good" HDL cholesterol, suggesting that it may increase coronary risk as much as the high saturated fat diet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alternatives So what can you use for spreading and cooking in a heart-healthy diet? The best advice is to cut down on all fats in general and minimize foods high in saturated fats. If your diet is already low in fat, small amounts of butter, margarine, or other high fat foods are usually okay unless stated otherwise for your particular condition by a doctor or nutritionist. However, if you consume a fair amount of margarine or processed foods with hydrogenated fats, cut back. If you still want to use margarine, buy tub or liquid "squeeze" margarines instead of the more hydrogenated stick versions. The first ingredient listed on the label should be a liquid oil rather than partially hydrogenated and the brand should also contain twice as much polyunsaturated fat as saturated. Avoid any with preservatives and artificial color. But why even bother with liquid "squeeze" margarines when you could use oil? Liquid vegetable oil can easily be substituted in cooking and baking. For the flavor of butter and the unsaturated fats of good-quality oil without the hydrogenation, processing, and additives found in margarines, refer to Laurel's Kitchen, a classic cookbook by Robertson, Flinders, and Rupenthal, for a terrific recipe for "Better-Butter", a blend of equal amounts of butter with safflower or corn oil. While researchers have provided us with the facts, cooks have also shown us that a good diet for a healthy life-style can be delicious as well. All it takes is a few dashes of moderation, common sense, and a spirit of adventure. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Whole Foods Market web pages (http://www.wholefoods.com/wf.html) are maintained by The Whole Foods Market Communications Team Copyright Whole Foods Market, 1995, wfm@wholefoods.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Reprinted (October 1995) with permission from Whole Foods Market