Co-written By: Alyssa Costantino
When it comes to heart health, not all fats are created equal. This newsletter is geared toward helping you understand the different types of fats in our diets and their impact on our health. The chemical composition of a fat determines how our bodies digest, absorb and store these fats in the body. Understanding the relationship between the different types of fats and their impact on the cardiovascular system allows you to make the best decisions to support your heart health.
Saturated Fats:
Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature and primarily found in animal products such as meat and dairy, and along with certain plant oils like coconut and palm oil. Chemically, saturated fats lack double bonds between carbon atoms, resulting in a straight molecular structure. This structure contributes to their stability in our bodies and on the shelf. When we eat saturated fat, the chemical structure pictured below allows molecules to stack tightly within our bodies and form fat filled lipoproteins such as LDL and VLDL (bad cholesterol). This structure makes dietary intake of saturated fats detrimental to the composition of our cholesterol levels, leading to plaque buildup in the arteries, reducing blood flow and increasing risk of atherosclerosis.
Trans fats
Trans fats are formed through a process called hydrogenation. To put it simply, this process adds hydrogen atoms to the structure of unsaturated fats, mimicking the structure of saturated fats. This is done to increase the product’s shelf life and stability, but has been shown to have even worse effects to the cardiovascular system than the saturated fat itself! Trans fats are commonly found in processed foods, margarine, and commercially baked goods. Their consumption has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease by raising LDL cholesterol, and lowering HDL cholesterol levels. Look for the term: “hydrogenated” on the nutrition label, and stay away from trans fats to protect your heart health!
Unsaturated fats
In contrast to saturated fats, unsaturated fats contain double bonds resulting in a bent shape in their chemical structure. This causes them to be liquid at room temperature, and prevents their ability to pack tightly upon absorption. Unsaturated fats are cardio-protective and should be the main source of fats to include in your diet.
Two main types of unsaturated fats:
- Monounsaturated Fats:
- These fats contain a single double bond, and are abundant in foods such as avocados, nuts, and olive oil. Their structure gives them the ability to improve blood cholesterol levels by lowering LDL cholesterol and raising HDL cholesterol, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Polyunsaturated Fats:
- Polyunsaturated fats contain multiple double bonds and are often found in fatty fish like salmon, flaxseeds, walnuts, and sunflower oil. They are rich sources of omega3 and omega6 fatty acids, essential nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties that play a large role in maintaining cardiovascular health.
What are Omega 3s and Omega 6s?
Omega 3s and omega 6s are essential unsaturated fatty acids, meaning our body can’t produce them. Each of these elements are especially important for our overall health, specifically our brain function, growth and development, and inflammation.
Sources:
- Omega 3: fish, seafood, nuts, seeds
- Omega 6: eggs, tofu, walnuts, sunflower seeds, canola, sesame, and corn oil
Key points:
- Although omega 6 fatty acids are essential for our health, growth, and development, they are often present in foods in higher amounts than omega 3s. This leads to an inflammatory response in the body which can actually contribute to risk of cardiovascular disease.
The key point here is to balance your intake of omega 3s and omega 6s to ideally a 4:1 ratio
Understanding the chemistry behind the quality of the fats in our diet can help us to choose the best dietary sources to protect our heart health. By prioritizing the consumption of unsaturated fats, we can optimize lipid profiles, reduce inflammation, and create a strong, healthy cardiovascular system to aid in longevity across the lifespan.
Heart Healthy Breakfast Recipe: Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast
Photo credit: Elena Leya, Unsplash.