Low-fat diets gained popularity in the 1980s as fat was demonized for causing weight gain and chronic disease. Despite the growing fear of fat, Canada had one of the highest rates of trans fat intake in the world through the 1990s. In response to this statistic, the federal government began implementing changes to food product labeling in the early 2000s, requiring food companies to list trans fat content on their product packaging.
Voluntary targets were initially set by Health Canada for trans fat content in processed foods. While these efforts helped to reduce the trans fat intake of the average Canadian, they may have also helped to perpetuate the idea of fat being "bad" since total fat content and trans fat content were not necessarily well-defined for the consumer, and were likely seen as the same thing by many. In reality, not all fats are created equal.
There are three different kinds of fat: trans fat, saturated fat and unsaturated fat. These types of fat are found in varying amounts in foods and have different effects on your health.
Trans fat can be found naturally in animal-products, such as beef and dairy, and it can also be industrially produced as part of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), including hard margarines, vegetable shortenings and commercially baked goods such as muffins.
Trans fats can raise your levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood. High LDL levels can lead to a build-up of plaque in the arteries and increase your risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Trans fats also reduce your blood levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, which has a protective effect against heart disease.
In an effort to curb trans fat intake, Health Canada introduced regulations in the summer of 2017, to ban the use of PHOs in food; manufacturers were given until September 2018 to remove PHOs from their products.
On Sept. 17, Health Canada's ban on PHOs came into effect. It is now illegal for manufacturers to add PHOs to foods sold in Canada.
While banning PHOs in processed foods may reduce the average Canadian's intake of trans fats, it does not eliminate it. Trans fats are still found naturally in animal products, including red meat, which should be limited in the diet.
Saturated fat is found in many of the same foods as trans fat, including fatty cuts of beef and shortening, and it can have an equally detrimental effect on your health, as well as increase your risk for developing heart disease.
There are different kinds of saturated fats and some have more of a negative impact on our bodies than others. Since foods naturally contain a mixture of different saturated fats, it's hard to choose foods based on one particular type, and therefore it's best to avoid all saturated fat.
Unsaturated fats have the opposite effect on your health as saturated and trans fats. Replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats can help to lower your overall cholesterol levels and reduce your risk for developing heart disease.
Sources of unsaturated fats include nuts, seeds, fatty fish, vegetable oils and avocados. Health Canada recommends consuming 2-3 tablespoons of unsaturated fats every day.
Coconut oil has been hyped as a superfood with a host of health benefits but there is little evidence to support these claims. In fact, coconut oil is high in saturated fat, which raises LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
To help lower your intake of saturated and trans fat, choose leaner meats, lower fat dairy products, and oods that contain little or no saturated or trans fat, and choose meat alternatives such as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and tofu more often. Saturated and trans fat are listed on the nutrition facts panel, making it easier for you to make informed decisions regarding the packaged foods you buy.
Fats are an important component of the diet and are needed to help the body absorb certain vitamins, make hormones, such as estrogen, and protect your organs. Trying to completely avoid all sources of fat, could have a detrimental effect on your health and lead to nutrient deficiencies down the line. For more information on healthy sources of fat go to www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthy-eating
Kelsey Leckovic is a Registered Dietitian with Northern Health working in chronic disease management.
