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Fast facts on fats: What to eat, what to avoid

By Maureen Callahan

From curbside snack carts to four-star restaurants, New York City chefs have until next summer to rid their kitchens of trans fat. It’s a bold move, but a necessary one, according to city health officials.

“When you look at the evidence, there’s no question artificial trans fat increases the risk for coronary heart disease,” says Sonia Angell, M.D., director of cardiovascular disease prevention and control at New York City’s Department of Health.

“The most conservative estimates show that the replacement of these fats with heart-healthy alternatives can decrease coronary artery disease risk by 6 percent, and it is likely even higher.”

In fact, a recent Harvard University study showed that women with low blood levels of trans fat are three times less likely to develop heart disease. .

The Big Apple’s impending trans fat ban is making other cities, food companies, and scientific experts pay closer attention to the increasingly complex relationships between dietary fat and health. Here’s the latest on fats, including where each is found, what it does, and how much or how little to eat. CookingLight.com: Putting the right types and amounts of fat into your diet

Trans fat

There are two types of trans fat: the kind that occurs naturally in small amounts in animal products, and the artificial kind produced by adding hydrogen to liquid oils so they remain solid at room temperature, which helps extend a food’s shelf life. So far no studies have examined how natural trans fat impacts health, but the artificial kind raises levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lowers HDL (“good”) cholesterol, raising the risk of heart disease.

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• Where it’s found: Most commercially produced fried foods, baked goods, and stick margarines are made with artificial trans fat. Natural trans fat can be found in red meat, milk, butter, and cheese.

• How much to eat: As little as possible. The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests limiting trans fat to less than one percent of your daily calories, about two grams if you follow a 2,000-calorie-per-day plan. That figure includes artificial trans fat as well as natural, since natural trans fat sources are often high in another type of fat linked to heart-disease risk factors-saturated fat.
“If you’re mindful that you want to decrease both trans fat and saturated fat, you’re in a good position. I think some people are so focused on trans fat that they forget about saturated fat,” says Alice Lichtenstein, D.Sc., director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston, Massachusetts.

• Recent news: The food world is working at warp speed to find replacements for artificial trans fat. In addition to New York, eight other large American cities –including Los Angeles, California; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Boston — have legislation pending to limit or ban artificial trans fat.

“It’s just a matter of time before these fats virtually disappear from the American landscape,” says William Connor, M.D., a researcher at Oregon State Health Sciences University.

• Trans fat fine print: A product must contain less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving in order to bear a “no trans fat” label, according to the Food and Drug Administration. However, such products may still contain up to 0.49 grams of trans fat.

To keep your intake low, stick to recommended serving sizes and read ingredients lists; they’re arranged in order, so the presence of partially hydrogenated oil can provide a clue as to the presence of artificial trans fat in a “trans fat-free” product.

Saturated fat

This type of fat raises LDL cholesterol and sets the stage for heart disease by encouraging the formation of plaque in arteries.

• Where it’s found: Animal products like whole milk, cream, butter, lard, and fatty cuts of meat. Also a component of cocoa butter and tropical oils (palm, palm kernel, and coconut).

• How much to eat: Less than 10 percent of your total calories per day (20 grams if you eat 2,000 calories) is a good starting point. For optimal heart health, the AHA recommends seven percent (16 grams).

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• Recent news: Just one meal high in saturated fat may damage blood vessels and hinder the ability of HDL cholesterol to protect arteries. Normally, HDL guards blood vessels from inflammation that contributes to artery-clogging plaque, says Stephen Nicholls, M.D., a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Not so after a meal high in saturated fat. When Nicholls and colleagues fed 14 healthy volunteers two meals of carrot cake and a milk shake-one made with highly saturated coconut oil and one with polyunsaturated safflower oil-two things happened: The ability of blood vessels to expand and contract (a sign of healthy arteries) and the anti-inflammatory action of HDL were impaired for as much as six hours after the high saturated fat meal. In contrast, when the cake and milk shake were made with polyunsaturated fat, arterial and HDL functions improved. Just how much saturated fat was in that test meal?

“We likened it to people eating a double cheeseburger, fries, and a shake, which, unfortunately, is not that uncommon a meal,” Nicholls says. CookingLight.com: Remodel your meals

Polyunsaturated fat

This type of fat helps reduce blood cholesterol levels when substituted for saturated fats. One variety, omega-3 fatty acids, also helps lower blood pressure, control inflammation, and protect against irregular heartbeats.

• Where it’s found: Vegetable oils like safflower, sunflower, sesame, corn, and soy, and nuts and seeds. Omega-3s are found in fatty fish, such as salmon and mackerel, flaxseed, and walnuts.

• How much to eat: Authorities say 40 to 78 grams in a 2,000-calorie diet should come from fat, with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats comprising the bulk. However, there is no specific recommended amount for either.

The AHA puts omega-3s in a separate category and suggests two to three meals of fatty fish a week. Two components of omega-3 fatty acid molecules have different benefits: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) helps alleviate arterial inflammation and prevent blood platelets from clumping together, while DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is valuable to the retina and brain.

Plant sources of omega-3s confer heart-health benefits similar to those of other foods rich in polyunsaturated fats, but because the chemical structure of the omega-3 fatty acid they contain (alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA) is different, the body does not convert it as readily to EPA or DHA, Connor says.

• Recent news: Two studies from the University of Pittsburgh suggest omega-3s found in fish may help improve mood and increase gray matter in the brain. In the first, researchers demonstrated that people with high blood levels of omega-3s tended to be more agreeable and less likely to report mild symptoms of depression than those with low levels. In the second study, researchers uncovered a possible mechanism behind the mood differences: People with high blood levels of omega-3s have more gray matter in the areas of the brain linked to mood. Although preliminary, the findings provide increasing support for including omega-3s in a healthful diet. CookingLight.com: Eight great recipes rich in omega-3 fatty acids

Monounsaturated fat

Monounsaturated fat helps lower blood cholesterol levels when substituted for saturated fat in the diet.

• Where it’s found: Olives, avocados, and olive, canola, and peanut oils.

• How much to eat: Again, roughly two-thirds of the fat you eat should be unsaturated, either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat. CookingLight.com: Get the most out of nutrition labels

• Recent news: Monounsaturated fat may help protect against heart disease and diabetes, particularly among people with a cluster of conditions-insulin resistance, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and big waistlines-referred to as metabolic syndrome.

A recent Italian study put 180 men and women with metabolic syndrome on either a low-calorie Mediterranean-style diet rich in monounsaturated fats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains or a diet of 30 percent of calories from any type of fat. At the study’s end two years later, half of the subjects who followed the Mediterranean-style diet were no longer diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.

“Compared to their baseline values the Mediterranean group had a significant increase in HDL and a decrease in both triglycerides [a type of blood fat similar to cholesterol] and blood sugar, all good changes,” says Kathy McManus, M.S., R.D., of Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. CookingLight.com: Avocado recipes that pack a punch of healthful fat

How to keep track of your daily intake

The best tools for keeping track of your intake of fats are the Food and Drug Administration Daily Values, the percentages listed on all nutrition labels. For example, the Daily Value (DV) for total fat, based on a 2,000-calorie diet, is 65 grams (g) or 30 percent of calories from fat. A food containing 13g of total fat per serving would state on the label that its DV for fat is 20 percent. That means one serving of this food contains 20 percent of total fat you should eat in a given day

Eating healthy when dining out is getting easier

By Stacey Colino
In the dining room’s soft amber glow, dozens of patrons peruse the menu at Rock Creek restaurant in Bethesda, Maryland. From a health standpoint, making a smart choice is easy.

Whether it’s the slow-cooked salmon with sesame seeds, warm bok choy salad, and miso mustard dressing or the jumbo lump crab cakes with celeriac-apple slaw and lemon-caper aioli, each meal contains 600 or fewer calories — nearly half the amount found in a typical restaurant entree.

“We offer what you’re supposed to eat — proper portions, great flavor-and we use fresh, local ingredients as much as possible,” says co-owner Tom Williams, who, with partner Judith Hammerschmidt, opened Rock Creek two years ago. The pair worked with Cynthia Payne Moore, R.D., a Baltimore, Maryland-based dietitian, to obtain nutritional analyses for every item on the menu, and they adjust recipes to avoid unnecessary fat and determine portion sizes.

“We put the nutritional information in the back of the menu-people who want to look at it do, and those who don’t, don’t,” Hammerschmidt says.

The concept and execution have proved so successful that earlier this year, the pair opened another Rock Creek in Washington, D.C.

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Enjoying restaurant food like Rock Creek’s — tasty, good for you, and with a reasonable amount of calories — was once a difficult order to fill. No longer.

“The idea that eating healthy doesn’t mean feeling deprived is something restaurants see as a vehicle for change, as a way to differentiate their offerings from their competitors,” says Master Chef Mark Erickson, vice president for continuing education at the Culinary Institute of America.

While some restaurants make it clear they offer more healthful fare — by using symbols, calorie counts, and the like — others practice what Erickson calls “stealth health,” making some healthful changes on the menu without fanfare. “When restaurants make their menus more healthful, consumers benefit,” Erickson says. And, in fact, eating well when dining out is a growing trend.

Healthfulness on the menu

Part of what’s driving these positive changes is consumer demand. Nearly three out of four adults say they are trying to make healthier choices when eating out than they did just two years ago, according to the National Restaurant Association.

“It’s hard to refute that health is related to diet,” Erickson says. “And restaurants are making up more and more of the daily diet — the average American eats one out of three meals away from home.” Increasingly, savvy consumers expect restaurants to have a conscious approach to food preparation similar to the one they use in their own kitchens — using fruits and vegetables creatively or cooking with less saturated fat or salt. CookingLight.com: Secrets to eating out

Legislative changes are also having an effect. The New York City-initiated ban on trans fats has become far-reaching; at least eight other major metropolitan areas have legislated similar bans, as have restaurants, hotels, theme parks, cruise lines, and many other businesses.

Meanwhile, New York City recently took another stand on upgrading restaurant menus. In a move affecting mostly fast-food restaurants, the city’s board of health recently asked food service establishments with standardized preparation methods that already have nutrition analyses to post calorie information on menus so customers can see it when deciding what to order.

Many restaurants purposefully take their offerings to a more healthful level. Since he took over the kitchen at the highly regarded Gramercy Tavern in New York City last October, Executive Chef Michael Anthony has created lighter dishes, many of which feature vegetables rather than meat as the plate’s centerpiece. “The goal is to leave consumers feeling invigorated, not lethargic because they’ve overindulged,” Anthony says.

Like Rock Creek, some restaurants are building their business around a more healthful model. Seasons 52, which has five locations in Florida and two in Atlanta, Georgia, takes a lighter approach to dining by featuring fresh foods that rotate with the seasons and dishes that contain a maximum of 475 calories.

The chefs do this by taking out fat, lowering sugar and salt when possible, and relying instead on flavorful accents such as balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and fruits. “We call it ‘palate distraction,’” explains Clifford Pleau, director of culinary development. “If you can give the mouth something else to focus on, it says, ‘Wow! I haven’t tasted something that interesting before,’ instead of ‘Wow! Something’s missing.’” CookingLight.com: An expert take on healthful dining-out trends

Tap into the trend

“While restaurants are becoming more health-conscious, it’s only going to keep happening if people ask for it,” says Katherine Tallmadge, R.D., a Washington, D.C.-based spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Here’s how to support the trend while ordering sensibly:

• Do a little homework. “If you decide ahead of time what you want to order, it will eliminate temptation while you are at the restaurant,” Tallmadge says. Many national chains post nutrition analyses on their Web sites, so you can find out how much fat, cholesterol, sodium, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and calories a potential meal contains. Healthydiningfinder.com, a Web site operated by the National Restaurant Association, can help you pinpoint nutritious fare at nearly 30,000 restaurants across the country — enter your ZIP code or your city, and you can search for restaurants by cuisine or price range.

• Watch portion size. Prodigious entrees remain common in many restaurants, despite other changes for the better. Because patrons tend to place a premium on value — they want to feel as if they’re getting their money’s worth — piled-high plates aren’t likely to become a relic of the past anytime soon.

“You can negotiate such situations by having part of your meal boxed to take home, downsizing your order by selecting an appetizer and side salad instead of an entree, or splitting the entree with someone,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D., a Chicago, Illinois-based ADA spokesperson. CookingLight.com: How to practice portion control

• Sample small plates. Tapas-sized servings — i.e. small plates — will continue to be in fashion in coming years, according to Restaurant Startup Consultants, Inc., which counsels new food service businesses. Small plates allow you to sample a variety of dishes without consuming too many calories. In addition to high-end restaurants, the trend is also appearing in some national chains. In March, TGI Friday’s unveiled a new Right Portion, Right Price menu, offering smaller portions of certain entrees that contain 500 calories or less and 10 grams of fat or less per serving. CookingLight.com: Tapas at home

• Choose seasonal ingredients. A less-is-more approach governs the preparation of fresh, seasonal ingredients: They’re often minimally dressed or sauced, allowing fresh flavors to play the starring role. Look for items like spinach and roasted beet salad or roasted butternut squash on fall menus.

“If you have a high-quality meat, fish, or vegetable that has a great deal of flavor, you don’t need to eat a lot of it to feel satisfied,” says Hugo Matheson, chef-owner of the Kitchen Café, who practices this principle at his Boulder, Colorado, restaurant. CookingLight.com: Ultimate summer cookbook

• Select healthful sides. These days, healthful sides, ranging from steamed broccoli to grilled asparagus to sautéed spinach with garlic, have more space on restaurant menus. “The idea that you can have an indulgent entree but improve your sides is something I enjoy because it’s a small change,” Blatner says. “If you make small steps to improve what you eat, you’ll be healthier for it.”

• Look for balance. Chefs and restaurateurs are reexamining the fundamentals of their offerings. At Seasons 52, for example, each entree plate is made up of one-third protein and two-thirds fruits, vegetables, and starches. Others are practicing what the Culinary Institute refers to as “the protein flip.”

“Finer dining establishments are flipping the traditional plating concept. Vegetables and carbohydrates are the main component, and protein is secondary,” Erickson says.

• Ask questions. When ordering, inquire about the meal’s composition or preparation. “Go to restaurants where the people serving the food know what the ingredients are,” Pleau says. For example, Rock Creek uses phyllo instead of traditional lard-laced dough in its piecrusts; but unless you ask them, you won’t know that you can enjoy a slice of their pie and avoid unnecessary saturated fat and calories.

• Enjoy yourself. While we’re all eating out more often these days, consider a restaurant meal to be a treat. Savor the flavors, and select dishes you can’t or wouldn’t make in your own kitchen. “Look at the meal as a source of pleasure,” Anthony says. “The key is to relish the experience — within moderation.”

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