The good ( and the very bad ) fat guide

FATS are vital for the smooth functioning of the body including the formation of cell walls, brain development and the interaction of our enzymes. They also play an important role in enabling the body to use fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K — all vital for a wide range of biological functions, and antioxidant vitamins A and E mop up excess levels of cancercausing free radicals. But fats are energyrich too — so too much can lead to obesity, other diseases, as well as some cancers. FATS TO AVOID: SATURATED ANIMAL FATS

Saturated fats are found in both meat and plants such as palm kernel and coconut and are more calorific than unsaturated fats, which is why many people regard them as less healthy.

this is only true if they’re eaten in excess of your energy requirements — but, animal fats (such as meat and cheese) also contain cholesterol, unlike plant oils, which don’t.

Cholesterol plays an essential role in the production of cell walls and hormones as well making bile acids.

But too much is linked with heart disease, stroke, cancer, dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Men with a higher saturated fat intake are at an increased risk of advanced prostate cancer, according to the findings of the Health Professionals Followup study (HPFS).

Women who ate more than 90g of animal fat a day had twice the risk of developing breast cancer than those eating around 40g a day, according to the Medical research Council.

It should be noted, however, that whether the key issue was the excess total intake or the type of fat itself is not known. TRANS FATS tHeSe are manmade and used because they can withstand heat without breaking down — ideal for processed snacks.

they have no known nutritional benefits and emerging evidence suggests they are more harmful than saturated fats but there is little evidence of cancer.

Studies consistently show trans fats in processed food are linked with heartdisease risk partly due to raised levels of LdL (bad) cholesterol and lowering levels of HdL (good) cholesterol.

denmark and the u.S. have started labelling foods with their transfat content; in 2018 Canada banned transfats entirely. GOOD FATS unSaturated fats, mostly in plantbased foods such as vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, have crucial roles in our health.

two of the most important are Omega3 and Omega6 fatty acids. Good sources of Omega3 are walnuts, avocados, sage, flaxseed, echium and hemp, as well as oily fish.

a low consumption of these over a long period has been linked with neurological underdevelopment in children and greater risk of adult arthritis, heart disease and dementia.

Omega6 fatty acids are needed to make many of the enzymes used in the immune and inflammatory systems.

two large studies have shown higher Omega6 levels were linked to a lower risk of prostate cancer. Less well known are Omega9 fatty acids — found in rapeseed and mustard seeds and oleic acid, from avocados and most olives.

Olives may be powerful weapons against breast cancer.