The Health and Wellbeing column with personal trainer Mel Spencer: Change your diet to reduce saturated fats

For years low fat diets have been considered the best way to reduce body fat and lower the risk of heart disease.

However, it has become clear over time that not all fats are created equal and that ultimately it’s not the fat in our diets that can be potentially harmful, but rather the type.

Fat is a type of nutrient and like carbohydrates and protein, your body needs some fat for energy, to absorb vitamins (some require fat to dissolve into your bloodstream and provide nutrients) and to protect your heart and brain health.

It is also a source of essential fatty acids which the body cannot make itself.

There are two types of fat namely ‘bad’ fats and ‘good’ fats. ‘Bad’ fats are further grouped into trans fats and saturated fats.

These are guilty of the unhealthy things all fats have been tarnished with.

Sources include pastries, biscuits and other packaged snack and fast food.

To readdress the balance we need to reduce the ‘bad’ fats we consume and increase the ‘good’.

‘Good’ fats, the unsaturated fats, are also further grouped into monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

These have the opposite effect of ‘bad’ fats and are good for heart and overall health, they also help to keep you feeling fuller for longer.

They tend to be liquid at room temperature and are generally found in foods obtained from plants (olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds) but not exclusively.

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat and are especially beneficial to your health.

Research has shown that a diet rich in omega-3s may help to reduce the symptoms of depression and bipolar disorder. It’s also thought that they can protect against memory loss and dementia, ease joint pain, inflammation and fatigue. So all in all they have a lot going for them!

Examples of foods containing omega-3 include mackerel, salmon, oysters, herring, sardines, anchovies, cavier, flax seeds, chia seeds and soybean but there are many more.

Whilst omega-3s are best obtained through your food, if you are struggling to get enough via your diet there are lots of supplements available.

In summary, cutting back on the saturated fats in your diet can be good for your health if they are replaced by unsaturated fats and omega-3s with their many benefits.

This highlights the fact that fat isn’t the enemy and we shouldn’t be afraid of it as a part of a balanced diet – so get swapping!