Nutrition: Part II
Fats
By Ladislav P. Novak, Ph.D.
Courtesy John Eagle Honda, North Dallas LIVING WELL Magazine
In the spring issue of LIVING WELL Magazine “Nutrition: Part 1,” I provided basic information about calories, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. I felt a brief note should be provided here in the summer issue to further clarify the differences between saturated fats and unsaturated fats.
Saturation refers to the number of hydrogens a particular fat chain is holding. Saturated fats such as palmitic acid (the most common fatty acid found in animals, plants and microorganisms) have 16 carbons and stearic acid 18 carbons held together by single bonds. Fats from plants or fish have one or more double bonds on a carbon chain-oleic acid has one double bond – monounsaturated fat, two double bonds – linoleic acid (omega-3), three double bonds – arachidonic acid – four double bonds (omega-6) and fish oils have five or six double bonds (omega-3) all polyunsaturated fats.
Health Considerations
Health care providers recommend limit saturated fats consumption containing also cholesterol, which seems to promote atherosclerosis (fatty plaques in the walls of the arteries primarily in the heart or brain). Vegetable fats such as safflower oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, soybean oil, corn oil seem to promote lowering blood cholesterol. Sardines, anchovies, herring, mackerel, salmon, tuna (fresh), bass, halibut, trouts, Pollock, also seem to reduce cholesterol.
The American Heart Association recommends to reduce total fat intake to 30% of all calories – 10% should be saturated (animals fats), 10% monounsaturated and 10% polyunsaturated vegetable or fish oils. Meals of fish two or times a week should be considered. It has been reported that natives of Greenland and Alaska who eat diets very high in fish fat have lowest death rates from heart disease. However, taking fish oil supplements is not recommended. Overdoses can alter blood lipids, affects blood clotting and may worsen type II diabetes.
Questions of Cholesterol
Endogenous (meaning from our body) is made by our liver as a part of bile, necessary for digestion of fats, for sex and adrenal hormones (estrogens, androgens and progesterone, which prepares the uterus for the reception and development of the fertilized ovum). Further, our skin contains 7-dehydrocholesterol and thus, exposure of our skin to sunlight – vitamin D is formed. Deficiency in elderly of both genders has been reported in the news on several occasions.
Exogenous cholesterol is included in all animal fats and oils. Examples: egg yolk-273 mg, 3 oz beef – whole milk – 34 mg but 1% mild – 10 mg. The danger of high cholesterol should be checked on regular visit to your physician. Ask for your ”Blood Lipids Profile” and then, remember the following values:
What is a desirable blood lipid profile?
Total cholesterol – below 200 mg/100 ml of blood,
Triglycerides(fat) below 150 mg /100 ml of blood,
High density lipoproteins – HDL (good cholesterol) – males 28-68 mg and females 34-78mg / 100 ml of blood.
Low density lipoproteins – LDL (bad cholesterol) below 130 mg for both genders. Higher HDL – low risk of coronary heart disease, high risk with high LDL.
The total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio is a number that is helpful in predicting an individual’s risk of developing atherosclerosis. The number is obtained by dividing the total cholesterol value by the value of the HDL cholesterol. (High ratios indicate higher risks of heart attacks, low ratios indicate lower risk). The average Chol/HDL for males – 5.0, for females – 4.4. HDL takes cholesterol from the fat cells back to the liver for disposal. Most influential factors to raise LDL are: Excess fat intake, Saturated fat intake and Excess Calories. Beware: Meats carry most of the fat that people consume. Consider: Quarter pound (4 oz) of hamburger has 28 grams protein, 112 calories (35.1%) and 23 grams fat, 207 calories (64.9%). A hot dog has even higher content of fat, 84% of its calories. Use lean meat such as beef tenderloin (round steak), chicken or turkey without skin, leg of lamb, and of course fish.
To read Part I of this article and other articles by Ladislav P. Novak, visit www.LIVINGWELLMAG.com and enter keywords “John Eagle Honda.”
Author Ladislav P. Novak, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275. Email: lnovak@mail.smu.edu.
John Eagle Honda, located at 5311 Lemmon Ave., Dallas, TX 75209 may be reached at 888-343-7677.
