People unsure on fats

CATH headed to Bury Market in Lancashire to find out what the public knows about good and bad fats. She asked shoppers what they thought had the highest fat content – a chocolate bar, some yoghurt-covered flakes or an avocado.

Overwhelmingly, people chose the chocolate bar. But the surprising truth is that the avocado has the highest amount of fat, typically 25g, compared to 8.5g in a 50g chocolate bar, and 4g in a small pack of yoghurt-covered fruit flakes.

But since avocados contain monounsaturated fats, which our bodies can’t produce but need for a healthy heart, eating avocados is good for us.

Next, she asked which was healthier, coconut oil or olive oil? Nearly everyone chose coconut oil. But coconut oil contains 94% saturated fat compared to olive oil, which contains about 14%.