"Good" Fats and "Bad" Fats

Have you ever wondered why we love fatty food so much? And why low-fat food,

described as "diet food," seems pale and tasteless to us, something eaten only "on a diet"?

Read on to learn about different fats and what they mean for health.

Why fat?

• Fat is an essential macronutrient for the human body, in defined amounts. Fats store energy long-term, provide fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), and supply essential fatty acids (omega-3, omega-6). It is the most energy-dense macronutrient: 1 gram of fat contains about 9 calories, compared with just 4 calories per gram of protein or carbohydrate.

What types of fat are there?

• Saturated fat is usually animal fat, such as butter, full-fat cheese, or meat fat. But do not be confused: saturated fat is also found in coconut, palm, and cottonseed oils. It is solid at room temperature, harder to digest than other fats, and generally not recommended for health: it may raise cholesterol, particularly "bad" cholesterol, and cause cardiovascular disease (atherosclerosis).

• Hydrogenated fat: An unsaturated plant oil that has undergone a chemical saturation process, resulting in a saturated fat that is solid at room temperature, such as margarine. This is called "trans fat" because of its molecular structure. Recently, many supermarket foods have displayed a 'no trans fat' label, because research has shown it is a very harmful fat that causes many diseases. In fact, trans fatty acids have been found even more dangerous than saturated fat. Trans fats are found in all fried food, margarine, and foods made with margarine or hydrogenated fat, such as bourekas, cakes, cookies, malawach (a layered flatbread), sufganiyot (filled doughnuts), and many snacks, including Bamba peanut puffs.

• Unsaturated fat: Liquid at room temperature and solidifying in the refrigerator. Considered preferable for heart and artery health. It has the same calorie content as saturated fat. It exists in several forms:

• Monounsaturated fat is liquid at room temperature. It is found in plant oils: olive, canola, avocado, and hazelnut oils, and in raw almonds. It helps lower cholesterol and may prevent heart disease. It is the most recommended fat in the Mediterranean diet, considered the best dietary pattern for preventing degenerative diseases.
• Polyunsaturated fat is found in both plant oils (soy, corn, sunflower, sesame) and fish oil. It is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and may help prevent heart disease, inflammatory diseases, and mental and memory disorders.

All three types of fat exist in every oil, in different proportions. It is recommended to consume oils from all three groups in balanced, equal proportions while reducing saturated fat as much as possible.

Which oil is good for heating?

Heat damages oils. Unsaturated oils more than saturated ones. This does not mean you should fry in lamb fat. It means developing cooking alternatives to frying, which is best limited. Any fried food contains many more calories along with trans fats. If you do fry, preferably do so only at home, briefly, and discard the oil after each use, even in a deep fryer. At Hanukkah, eat ½ a doughnut instead of a large one and settle for one latke rather than five. If frying, monounsaturated oil such as olive oil is preferable because it is damaged less than polyunsaturated oils such as soy or sunflower oil.

And what is the story with fish oil?

"Some oils stand out for the vitality they add to the body," says naturopath Gary Kalberg. "Flaxseed oil, for example, is polyunsaturated and has many medicinal benefits. The same applies to sesame oil. Flax contains omega 3 and omega 6, which our body needs but cannot produce itself."

According to research by American Professor Simopoulos, a Mediterranean nutrition specialist, an absence of fish oil from the human diet is neither natural nor genetically intended.

Various studies have shown that omega 3 has anti-inflammatory properties, dilates blood vessels and arteries, benefits the heart, balances blood lipids, and, at medicinal doses, also helps inflammatory conditions such as bowel and joint inflammation and psoriasis.

Which type of omega-3 should you consume?

Although omega-3 is also found in many plant sources, such as flaxseed and sage oils, scientific research indicates that the human body needs fish oil. Only fish oil contains the 2 active forms of omega-3 responsible for all its beneficial effects: EPA and DHA. These can be obtained from sea fish such as salmon, cod, sardines, and tuna. Recently, Israeli pond-fish farmers have also been adding an omega-3 source to fish feed, so farmed fish can be a reasonably good source of omega-3 too.

This is general news information and is not a substitute for personal advice from a doctor or dietitian.