Nutrition and Dietary AdviceNutrition and dietary advice from a professional

Foods and Drinks High Fat and, or Sugar

Most of us enjoy a slice of chocolate cake from time to time, and you’ll probably be happy to know that it isn’t necessary to give this up entirely! A small amount of fat is necessary for health, however, we shouldn’t eat these foods too often.

Eating too much fat in general will promote weight gain, and saturated fat can encourage heart disease, and increase the risk of other common illnesses. Eating sugary foods too often is also the main cause of tooth decay. Therefore, we ought to try limiting the amount of fat and sugar we are eating on a regular basis.

The main nutrients provided by this food group are:

• Fat
• Carbohydrate (sugar)
• Vitamins D and E

1) Fats - oils

Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature. They are made from different plants and also from fish. Most oils are high in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat, and low in saturated fat. Coconut oil, is an exception to the rule, being high in saturated fat and is therefore considered to be a solid fat.

Some common examples of oils are:

• Sunflower oil
• Canola/rapeseed oil
• Corn oil
• Olive oil
• Soybean oil
• Sesame oil

2) Solid fats

Solid fats are fats that are solid at room temperature. They can be made from vegetable oils, by a process called hydrogenation, or come from animals. Solid fats contain more saturated fats and/or Trans fats than oils.

FDA define Trans fat as a product “made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavour stability of foods containing these fats. Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarine’s, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Unlike other fats, the majority of Trans fat is formed when food manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. A small amount of Trans fat is found naturally, primarily in some animal-based foods.”

Look for foods that are low in saturated fats, and Trans fats, to help reduce your risk of heart disease. Check the nutrition label to find margarine’s with 0 grams of Trans fat and opt for these instead.

Some common solid fats are:

• Butter
• Lard
• Margarine
• Shortening
• Suet

Foods high in solid fats include:

• Minced beef
• Bacon
• Sausages
• Meats which are highly marbled
• Poultry skin
• Cheese
• Cream
• Ice cream
• Baked goods (such as cookies, cakes, donuts, pastries, and croissants)

3) Sugar

We get most of the added sugar in our diets from soft drinks, sweets, chocolate, cookies, cakes, and also milk-based products, such as ice cream, flavoured milk, and sweetened yogurt. In the UK researchers also found that meals such as Tesco crispy beef with sweet chilli, and Asda’s sticky chilli chicken had more sugar content than vanilla ice cream. This demonstrates the importance of reading food labels, as it can help us identify foods with a high content of added sugars. Often when labeling, manufacturers use other terminology for sugar. This can be very confusing for consumers.

Names of added sugars to look out for on food labels:

• Brown sugar
• Corn syrup
• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrates
• Glucose
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Invert sugar
• Lactose
• Maltose
• Malt syrup
• Molasses
• Raw sugar
• Sucrose
• Sugar
• Syrup

Top tips for reducing fat and sugar intake:

• Aim for 0-3 portions from this food group each day
• Opt for reduced or low fat, and sugar versions when shopping
• Try sugar free squash or diet fizzy drinks, rather than regular versions
• Try to eat sugary foods just after a meal, as they do less damage to our teeth at this time
• Cakes and biscuits should not be eaten too often, and when they are, choose small amounts
• Spread butter, margarine etc sparingly - don’t leave teeth marks behind!
• Choose spreads which are labeled ‘olive based,’ rather than butter
• Choose reduced fat mayonnaise and salad dressings
• Opt for oils which are highest in monounsaturated fats, such as olive or canola oil
• Use the smallest amount of oil possible when cooking, i.e. one teaspoon of oil per person
• Opt for food that is grilled, boiled, steamed, dry roasted, casseroled or oven baked in preference to fried foods
• Use a non-stick frying pan when you do decide to fry foods
• Try to get into the practice of reading labels and look out for foods high in saturated fat, Trans fat, or foods with a high sugar content

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You may also like to read the following:

• Is Rice Bran Oil ‘Healthy?’
• The Lowdown on Food Labels
• How Healthy is your Diet?