Fats and nuts

Added fats

How ?

• Favour vegetable fats (olive oil, rapeseed oil, etc.) and limit animal fats (butter, cream, lard, etc.). By opting for lean meat (chicken fillets, pork tenderloin, etc.) and paying attention to the amount of fat in milk, yoghurt and cheese products (choose semi-skimmed), you can reduce the amount of animal fat in your diet.

• Favour variety : alternate between different types of oil, such as olive oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, linseed oil, walnut oil, etc. Each oil contains different types of fat (fatty acids), which contribute to the healthy functioning of our bodies.

Why ?

Oils, and especially olive and rapeseed oil, have the advantage of having cardioprotective properties. 

Nuts

Nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.) are also rich in vegetable fatty acids and play an important role in a balanced diet. 

Hidden fats

As they are often hidden, it can be hard to know how much fat is in the food we eat. This is why it is important to read the label.

Fats are found in fatty meats, sauces, ready meals, cakes, pastries and desserts. 

Fried food contains a lot of fat, and form part of the "extras" food group.

The different fatty acids

Saturated fatty acids

Saturated fatty acids are easy to identify. They are solid at room temperature. They are found in butter, lard, palm oil and coconut oil, as well as meat, cured meats and cheese. They should not make up more than one quarter of the fatty acids in our diet. Excessive consumption can increase our total cholesterol and therefore the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

They should not account for more than 10% of our daily energy intake.

Monounsaturated fatty acids

Monounsaturated fatty acids largely appear in our diet as oleic acid, found in large proportions in olive oil.

They are also found in rapeseed oil, groundnut oil, avocado, poultry and hazelnuts.

This type of fatty acid reduces "bad" cholesterol and should account for nearly half the total fat in our diet.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are always liquid at room temperature. They include linoleic and arachidonic acids, as well as Omega-3 fatty acids (alpha- and gamma-linoleic acids, eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA)).

Some of these fatty acids are called "essential" as our bodies cannot produce them. 

We must therefore include them in our diet. Their essential role includes:

• protecting cell membrane integrity and aiding growth;

• benefits for the skin, nervous system, retinas and reproductive system.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids should account for one quarter of the total fats we consume. They are found in corn oil, sunflower oil, soya oil and walnut oil, as well as fish oil including tuna, salmon, mackerel, herring, etc.

How fats and nuts react to heat

The more a fat is unsaturated, the more vulnerable and less resistant it is to heat. 

When used for cooking, some of the essential components in these fats are destroyed or transformed. When exposed to heat, some unsaturated fatty acids may transform into trans-fatty acids, which are chemical components our bodies cannot use.

Trans-fatty acids may also be formed during hydrogenation processes (solidification) of fats, such as for low-budget cooking margarines for biscuits, or in confectionery products (coating, icing, etc.) and crisps. 

These trans-fatty acids have the same effect as saturated fatty acids, in that they can cause problems with the fat levels in our body, which in turn can lead to cardiovascular disease. They should not account for more than 1% of the total fat we consume.