The Tick says "FAT... It's Not All Bad"

Choosing the right type of fat is important

Unsaturated fat, also known as the ‘good’ fat, is important for heart health, as as it helps reduce total cholesterol in the blood.

Saturated fat, or the ‘bad’ fat, is not so good, because it increases total cholesterol.

Having a balance of mono- and poly-unsaturated fat is important. Mono-unsaturated fat is a 'good' fat found in lean red meat and some oils, poly-unsaturated fat is a 'good' fat found in fish, seeds and some oils

A type of 'good' fat which can help lower blood level of LDL ('bad') cholesterol

The table below shows some foods which have a high amount of these fats:

Ways to include unsaturated fat in your diet:

• Salads with Tick approved oils or salad dressings
• Toast with avocado or peanut butter
• Including avocado, olives, nuts and seeds in salads

Pregnancy:

For pregnant women, eating the enough of the unsaturated fat is vital for energy, as well as fetal growth. Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are two types of poly-unsaturated fat which are very important. The fetus has a limited ability to make these fats, so it is dependent of placental supply.

After child birth, many women tend to focus on losing weight. However those who are breast feeding have even higher energy requirements than during pregnancy.

Rebecca McLean (New Zealand Registered Dietitian)