Healthy Fats & Blood Sugar Flashcards
Fats are essential to diet because…
Help with growth and development
Nourish skin, hair, and nails
Help absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A,E, D, and K
Regulate hormones
Maintain steady metabolism
Cushion and protect organs
Insulate the body
Reduce inflammation
How do fats affect blood sugar?
Because they have much more complex molecular structure than simple carbs they take longer to digest.
What is the lowest quality fat?
Trans Fats which should be avoided a much as possible.
What is the purpose of trans fats?
To give food flavor and increase the shelf life. Some occur naturally, but most are man made and have been shown to lower HDL which is your beneficial cholesterol.
What are more negative effects of trans fats?
They can cause accelerated aging, heart disease and cancer.
On food labels “0g trans fats” can legally contain up to .5g of trans fats per serving.
What are saturated fats?
This fat is solid at room temperature and considered better than trans fats, although the quality and quantity of consumption should be monitored.
Where are saturated fats found?
In meats (animal fat), dairy, some baked goods (butter), fried foods and palm-based oils such as palm kernel, palm oil, coconut oil*
Coconut oil is made up of medium chain fatty acids which have a different effect on the body than the long chain fatty acids found in meat and vegetable oils.
What is important to know about medium chain fatty acids or MCFAs?
Because they are a shorter chain they can be sent directly to the liver to be metabolized and turned into energy instead of being stored as fat and avoiding insulin spikes in the bloodstream decreasing the chance of blood sugar roller coaster.
What is the healthiest fats?
Unsaturated fats which can improve blood cholesterol levels and decrease inflammation as well as other health benefits.
What is are the two types of unsaturated fats?
Mono and poly
What are examples of monounsaturated fats?
Usually liquids and find in foods like peanuts, canola, olive, avocados, nuts, seeds like pumpkin and sesame
What are examples of polyunsaturated fats?
Also usuallly liquids at room temperature and found in:
Sunflower, corn, soybean, flaxseed, walnuts
Salmon, mackerel, herring, albacore tuna, and trout
What are essential fatty acids?
They are a type of Polyunsaturated fat which are know as Omega-3 and Omega-6. They are called essential because the body cannot make them and have to be obtained from the diet.
When eaten properly, how do the healthiest fats support the body?
They support the:
Immune system
Cardiovascular system
Central nervous system
Normalize cholesterol which promotes heart health
Keep blood sugar levels consistent
What are 3 types of Omega-3s Fatty Acids?
Alpha-Linolenic (ALA)
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
Docoahexaenoic acid (DHA)
For vegans/vegetarian clients great sources of DHA and EPA are
Flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts
