Fat has its good and bad sides! Have you heard of that? It's necessary for the human body to consume fat, but if you consume bad fat, it can accumulate as belly fat. Therefore, it's essential to learn how to distinguish between good and bad fats. Below, the editor will tell you about five high-fat foods to watch out for.
I. Fat also has "good" and "bad" types
The fat in food can be divided into two categories: one is beneficial to health, such as polyunsaturated fat, and the other is the culprit for weight gain—saturated and trans fats. Nutritionists believe that the amount of saturated fat we consume should be less than one-third of our total fat intake, while the total amount of polyunsaturated fat should not be less than one-third. Although the body can use saturated fat for energy, you don't actually need it. On the contrary, polyunsaturated fats and oils are essential for the body.
II. How much fat should we eat daily for a healthy diet
In our total dietary energy, the energy provided by fat should ideally be between 20% and 30%. Calculating based on the general daily energy requirement for adults of 1800-2600 calories and the 30% upper limit, that's 60-85 grams of fat. Besides cooking oil, which is 99% fat, we may also consume a lot of "invisible fat": 100 grams of egg yolk contains 21.1 grams of fat, 100 grams of lean pork contains 28 grams of fat, and 100 grams of peanuts contains a whopping 44.4 grams of fat!
However, this doesn't mean you can't eat these foods. The fats in them are "good" fats, but you should be aware of the fat content in these foods so that you can control your total daily fat intake.
III. Where can we find "good" fats?
Most of us lack truly good fats, namely Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats (provided by polyunsaturated fats). So, where can we find these good fats? The answer is—fish (especially deep-sea fish like salmon, tuna, and trout) and seeds (such as flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame, corn, and soybeans). However, most people can't get enough good fats just by eating fish and seeds, so seed oils are your most convenient option. Cooking oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, and soybean oil are all excellent sources of "good" fats.
IV. Get rid of "bad" fats
Generally, harmful fats are mostly found in animal products, such as beef, pork, tallow, poultry, butter, milk, and cheese. A few plants are also high in saturated fat, such as coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter. Although we all know that saturated fats are harmful to a slim figure and a healthy body, we can't monitor our saturated fat intake at all times. So, here are a few tips to help you easily control your intake of "bad" fats.
1. Smartly replace meat in your diet: White meat contains less saturated fat than red meat, and skinless chicken contains over one-third less saturated fat than chicken with skin. With just a few simple swaps in your diet, you can consume a lot less saturated fat.
2. Replace solid fats with liquid fats: Olive oil, rapeseed oil, or corn oil contain liquid unsaturated fats. Foods containing solid saturated fats include butter, lard, etc.
3. Choose low-fat dairy products: Semi-skimmed, skimmed milk, or low-fat yogurt are all good choices.
4. Check the nutrition labels on foods when you shop to find out exactly how much saturated fat the food you're about to eat contains.
5. Change your cooking methods: Research has found that after prolonged cooking, the saturated fatty acid content in fatty meat can be reduced by half. Therefore, it's better to stew fatty meat rather than stir-fry it.
V. Be wary of five high-fat "invisible" foods
1. Coconut milk
Coconut milk may look like a natural juice, but it actually contains 93% fat. Similar products include coconut flakes, coconut powder, and all desserts containing coconut milk.
Solution: Use skim milk instead of coconut milk.
2. Croissants
Croissants, which look light and not too greasy, have a fat content of up to 58% of their total calories. Similar foods include puff pastries, cookies, and Western-style pastries.
Solution: Replace these snacks with whole wheat bread.
3. Vegetable salad
Vegetable salad may seem like a low-calorie option, but its fat content is as high as 72% of its total calories, thanks to various Chinese or Western-style dressings.
Solution: Use low-fat yogurt to dress your salad for a healthier, lower-calorie option.
4. Walnuts
Walnuts are also a very deceptive, purely natural plant-based food, but their fat content is surprisingly 70% of their total calories. Nuts like peanuts and pistachios also contain very high levels of fat.
Solution: When you want a snack, switch to an oat bar!
5. Lean pork
You might think that lean pork is truly low-fat, but that's not the case. The fat content of lean pork is as high as 38% of its total calories. The same goes for other red meats like beef and lamb.
Solution: Choose white meats like chicken and fish to replace red meat.