Fat Facts
· Energy source - 1g fat carries 9 cal of energy
· Is used as an energy store
· Provides insulation
· Provides waterproofing
· Contains essential fatty acids
3 different kind of fat:
Saturated Fat - Hard at room temperature and usually comes from animals e.g. butter lard and some hard margarine. Excess of saturated fat can lead to heart disease. This is because of the structure of the fat it is very rigid and is able to lay down a bit like bricks - making a nice firm wall in your arteries!
Unsaturated fat - Usually liquid at room temperature and comes from veggies e.g. Olive Oil. 2 different kinds of unsaturated, Mono and Polyunsaturated fat. Only difference in them is the biochemical structure. Polyunsaturated fat is the 'best' kind of fat for you. This is because is its structure is less rigid and is build walls in the arteries less readily than saturated.
Trans Fat - Man made and we are not able to say this is a saturated fat because it's chemical composition does not allow us to, however it's structure is such that it is very rigid and is therefore just as harmful as saturated fat in large doses.
Chew you food thoroughly - especially important with fatty things, as there is an enzyme in the salvia which will help break down the fat, if you chew well allows the enzyme to penetrate more effectively.
Most of us have too much fat in our diet, how do we reduce the fat in our diet?
· East less saturated fat e.g. animal fats and don't eat the skin
· Use small amounts of unsaturated fats for cooking
· Use low fat dairy products e.g. semi skimmed milk
· Use of low fat spreads
· Grill and bake instead of frying/roasting
