NOT THAT FAT!

Choose well. Your choice is brief, and yet endless.”

― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Fat! This little word has a great impact and grasps our attention in a snap. Fat, be it the fat from food or simply being fat, is ill famed in any context taken. Nevertheless in this post I am not talking about fat, as in being fat (which I can bet was on your mind) but fat that we eat. Fats or oils come under Lipids, a macronutrient equally important as carbohydrates and proteins. These lipids though popular for their negativities, still remain crucial to our body. A fat is generally solid at room temperatures and are closely packed chemically whereas oils are loosely packed and contain double bonds ranging from one to many and are liquid at room temperatures.

The chemical structures of these fats and oils play an important role in the functions they perform.  Oils that contain single double bond are classified as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and those that contain more than one double bond are classified as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).  Fats which are solid and closely packed are classified as saturated fatty acids (SFA) like butter, ghee and margarine.

Lipids, fat and oils both, provide a large amount of calories, now calories aren’t that bad, they are a synonym for energy and we need energy for everything.  Lipids provide 9 kcal for every gram of fat consumed. They remain a vital source of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, each with their own vital roles in our body.  In addition they also are an important source of essential fatty acids which as the name suggests are of great essence to the body.These essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids which have varied function in the body. The three main essential fatty acids are Linoleic acid, Linolenic acid and Arachidonic acid, which are used to produced omega6 and omega 3 in the body. They cannot be synthesized in the body like other important lipids (cholesterol, phospholipids, and prostaglandins) and must be therefore provided through diet. 

Omega 6 and omega 3 have gained well deserved popularity for all the health benefits it has to offer. Omega 3 (chemical names: DHA and EPA) bestows more advantages than omega 6. Omega 3 has been found to lower cholesterol and protect heart; keep blood pressure in check also helps control blood glucose levels and helps reduce inflammation and pain thus very helpful in rheumatism and arthritis.  Further, it plays a vital role in development, growth and cognition thus making it imperative to our body.

From all the benefits, the most significant and fulfilling purpose of fat is that it adds flavor to food and makes it palatable. It is and has been the cooking medium used from centuries. The aroma of melting butter in the hot pan, or the big slab of butter in a hot bowl of pav bhaji or palak paneer (can make anyone drool at the table, simply mouth watering).  Methi malai mutter with spoonfuls of cream can surely make your Sunday lunch a totally hit. Occasionally, it’s totally fine to indulge in gourmet and pamper your taste buds, after all food tends to be a part of our celebration as well as a companion of bereavement.  However, such treats on daily bases can be consequential.

Yet again I state, balance is the key you need to remember, neither too much nor too little. Guard the amount of fat your diet and curtail it where you can.  Simple way to reduce the fat in your diet or your families’ diet is -if you use three tbsp of oil or fat cut it down to two starting today, if you use two tbsp bring it down to one.  The most common mistake people make is drastically reducing the fat content which can become difficult to accept and follow. Any Alteration’s you make should be a gradually process. Amount of fat a person needs cannot be randomized as each individuals needs are tailored according to their requirements. To give a rough range it should not exceed   2-3 exchanges that are six tablespoons daily person.  Avoid fried products, too much cheese and also low quality fats like margarine, dalda or vansapti. Besides the amount, the type of fat we choose for ourselves and our families also make a lot of difference.

As consume we are faced with a dilemma of what kind of oil to choose.  There are stores filled with different brands and types of oils - Soybean, sunflower, groundnut, rice bran, cotton seed, olive oil, safflower and mustard etc.  What confuses us as consumers is the fact that every product is marketed to be better than the other. Therefore is it better for us, as consumers to be well informed and well read so that we make the best choices for ourselves.

Now, all naturally occurring oils and fats are mixture of: Saturated fatty acids (SFA), Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).  What makes oils and fats different from each other is the concentration of each of the above, either of the one dominates other.  SFA’s are usually high in animal sources e.g. Meat, lard, butter, paneer, ghee etc and are known to increases LDL cholesterol (bad) and decreases HDL cholesterol (good).

MUFA and PUFA are generally higher in plant sources. MUFA decreases LDL cholesterol and increases HDL cholesterol and are found in olive oil, peanut/groundnut oil, canola oil, almond oil and rice bran oil.  PUFA too decreases LDL cholesterol but also decreases the good cholesterol. Further, PUFA’s are highly reactive and undergo degeneration very fast.  They are also highly reactive in cooking, when subjected to routine frying or cooking PUFA’s can produced high levels of toxic products that can lead to cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

 Most of the cooking oils in the market are promoted to be cholesterol free, a word of caution, all oils extracted from plant sources are devoid of cholesterol as cholesterol is found only in animals and not plants. Compare the ratio of SFA: MUFA: PUFA, and the content of essential fatty acid if available before purchasing any oil. Purity of any oil should be second important item on your checklist, refined or filtered.  Refined oil are purer than filtered oil but low in fatty soluble vitamins A, D, E & K, however most of the oils now are fortified with these vitamins.

Thus, oil containing a judicial mixture of SFA: MUFA: PUFA in a ratio of 1:2:1 should be selected.  In simple terms, oil which has MUFA more than the PUFA and SFA will be a wise choice. So henceforth before buying oil, no matter how healthily it is marketed, carefully read label.  Choose and compare oils available and then select the one that suits you best.

To healthy living!!