RE: Good FAT, Bad FAT?

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I just looked at 's site. As a PTSD sufferer I applaud your efforts.

~

W annie_250@...> wrote: I'd be interested in group member's

opinions on

what " fats " are acceptable on SB.

Thanks in advance for your responses! I won't be

able to respond to all as I am disabled w/chronic

back pain

W

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" The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and

convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. "

- Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963

Please send your recipes for inclusion in the Files to the Moderator at:

South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-Right-owner

Reminder: The South Beach Diet is not low-carb. Nor is it low-fat. The South

Beach Diet teaches you to rely on the right carbs and the right fats-the good

ones - and enables you to live quite happily without the bad carbs and bad

fats.

For more on this Way Of Eating please read " The South Beach Diet " by Arthur

Agatston, MD. ISBN 1-57954-814-8

[Guest guest]

> I'd be interested in group member's opinions on

> what " fats " are acceptable on SB.

Healthy fats eaten in moderation.

You're asking kind of a generalized and non-specific question, here; we

could take for hours and hours on fats alone. Can you narrow your

question down a bit?

You can eat monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats on the SBD and it is

within guidelines. You should avoid saturated fats and all trans fats.

Even if a label says zero trans fats, you would do well to read the

ingredients; if it has hydrogenated ingredients, then it DOES have trans

fats, it's just that they compose less than .5 grams in a single serving.

Chapter 6 of the 2005 edition of " Dietary Guidelines for Americans " has this

to say about fats:

Excerpted from

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/chapter6.htm

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005

Chapter 6 Fats

OVERVIEW

--------

Fats and oils are part of a healthful diet, but the type of fat makes a

difference to heart health, and the total amount of fat consumed is also

important. High intake of saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol

increases the risk of unhealthy blood lipid levels, which, in turn, may

increase the risk of coronary heart disease. A high intake of fat (greater

than 35 percent of calories) generally increases saturated fat intake and

makes it more difficult to avoid consuming excess calories. A low intake of

fats and oils (less than 20 percent of calories) increases the risk of

inadequate intakes of vitamin E and of essential fatty acids and may

contribute to unfavorable changes in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) blood

cholesterol and triglycerides.

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS

-------------------

Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and less

than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep trans fatty acid consumption as low

as possible.

Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats

coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such

as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk

products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free.

Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids,

and choose products low in such fats and oils.

Key Recommendations for Specific Population Groups

--------------------------------------------------

Children and adolescents. Keep total fat intake between 30 to 35 percent of

calories for children 2 to 3 years of age and between 25 to 35 percent of

calories for children and adolescents 4 to 18 years of age, with most fats

coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such

as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

DISCUSSION

----------

Fats supply energy and essential fatty acids and serve as a carrier for the

absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K and carotenoids. Fats

serve as building blocks of membranes and play a key regulatory role in

numerous biological functions. Dietary fat is found in foods derived from

both plants and animals. The recommended total fat intake is between 20 and

35 percent of calories for adults. A fat intake of 30 to 35 percent of

calories is recommended for children 2 to 3 years of age and 25 to 35

percent of calories for children and adolescents 4 to 18 years of age. Few

Americans consume less than 20 percent of calories from fat. Fat intakes

that exceed 35 percent of calories are associated with both total increased

saturated fat and calorie intakes.

To decrease their risk of elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol

in the blood, most Americans need to decrease their intakes of saturated fat

and trans fats, and many need to decrease their dietary intake of

cholesterol. Because men tend to have higher intakes of dietary cholesterol,

it is especially important for them to meet this recommendation.

Population-based studies of American diets show that intake of saturated fat

is more excessive than intake of trans fats and cholesterol. Therefore, it

is most important for Americans to decrease their intake of saturated fat.

However, intake of all three should be decreased to meet recommendations.

Table 8 shows, for selected calorie levels, the maximum gram amounts of

saturated fat to consume to keep saturated fat intake below 10 percent of

total calorie intake. This table may be useful when combined with

label-reading guidance. Table 9 gives a few practical examples of the

differences in the saturated fat content of different forms of commonly

consumed foods. Table 10 provides the major dietary sources of saturated

fats in the U.S. diet listed in decreasing order. Diets can be planned to

meet nutrient recommendations for linoleic acid and á-linolenic acid while

providing very low amounts of saturated fatty acids.

Based on 1994-1996 data, the estimated average daily intake of trans fats in

the United States was about 2.6 percent of total energy intake. Processed

foods and oils provide approximately 80 percent of trans fats in the diet,

compared to 20 percent that occur naturally in food from animal sources.

Table 11 provides the major dietary sources of trans fats listed in

decreasing order. Trans fat content of certain processed foods has changed

and is likely to continue to change as the industry reformulates products.

Because the trans fatty acids produced in the partial hydrogenation of

vegetable oils account for more than 80 percent of total intake, the food

industry has an important role in decreasing trans fatty acid content of the

food supply. Limited consumption of foods made with processed sources of

trans fats provides the most effective means of reducing intake of trans

fats. By looking at the food label, consumers can select products that are

lowest in saturated fat, trans fats,13 and cholesterol.

To meet the total fat recommendation of 20 to 35 percent of calories, most

dietary fats should come from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated

fatty acids. Sources of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids are liquid

vegetable oils, including soybean oil, corn oil, and safflower oil. Plant

sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (á-linolenic acid) include

soybean oil, canola oil, walnuts, and flaxseed. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)

and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are omega-3 fatty acids that are contained in

fish and shellfish. Fish that naturally contain more oil (e.g., salmon,

trout, herring) are higher in EPA and DHA than are lean fish (e.g., cod,

haddock, catfish). Limited evidence suggests an association between

consumption of fatty acids in fish and reduced risks of mortality from

cardiovascular disease for the general population. Other sources of EPA and

DHA may provide similar benefits; however, more research is needed. Plant

sources that are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids include vegetable oils

(e.g., canola, olive, high oleic safflower, and sunflower oils) that are

liquid at room temperature and nuts.

Considerations for Specific Population Groups

---------------------------------------------

Evidence suggests that consuming approximately two servings of fish per week

(approximately 8 ounces total) may reduce the risk of mortality from

coronary heart disease and that consuming EPA and DHA may reduce the risk of

mortality from cardiovascular disease in people who have already experienced

a cardiac event.

Federal and State advisories provide current information about lowering

exposure to environmental contaminants in fish. For example, methylmercury

is a heavy metal toxin found in varying levels in nearly all fish and

shellfish. For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and

shellfish is not a health concern. However, some fish contain higher levels

of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child's developing nervous

system. The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of

fish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish. Therefore, the Food and

Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency are

advising women of childbearing age who may become pregnant, pregnant women,

nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of fish and

shellfish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. For more

information, call FDA's food information line toll-free at 1-888-SAFEFOOD or

visit http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html.

Lower intakes (less than 7 percent of calories from saturated fat and less

than 200 mg/day of cholesterol) are recommended as part of a therapeutic

diet for adults with elevated LDL blood cholesterol (i.e., above their LDL

blood cholesterol goal [see table 12]). People with an elevated LDL blood

cholesterol level should be under the care of a healthcare provider.

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TABLE 8. Maximum Daily Amounts of Saturated Fat To Keep Saturated Fat Below

10 Percent of Total Calorie Intake

The maximum gram amounts of saturated fat that can be consumed to keep

saturated fat intake below 10 percent of total calorie intake for selected

calorie levels. A 2,000-calorie example is included for consistency with the

food label. This table may be useful when combined with label-reading

guidance.

Total Calorie Intake Limit on Saturated Fat Intake

1,600 18 g or less

2,000* 20 g or less

2,200 24 g or less

2,500* 25 g or less

2,800 31 g or less

* Percent Daily Values on the Nutrition Facts Panel of food labels are based

on a 2,000-calorie diet. Values for 2,000 and 2,500 calories are rounded to

the nearest 5 grams to be consistent with the Nutrition Facts Panel.

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(SEE ORIGINAL PUBLICATION FOR ADDITIONAL TABLES OF INTEREST)