Mini lesson 4 Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu................................................ The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, 2011
Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu This mini-lesson explores the role of dietary fat in health. Discussions will help participants gain a better understanding of the sources of healthy and harmful fats. Through hands-on activities, participants will discover strategies for adding small amounts of healthy fats to meals and snacks. By the end of the session participants will be able to: Identify the main sources of dietary fat. Distinguish between healthy fats (unsaturated fats) and harmful fats (saturated and trans fats). Discuss the health benefits of healthy fats and the health risks of harmful fats. Read food labels to determine the amount and type of fat in packaged foods. Suggest ways to reduce the amount of fat, especially harmful fats at meals and snacks. Suggest ways to add small amounts of healthy fats to meals and snacks. The Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Studies provide an opportunity for participants to practice the skills listed above. Materials Eating Well with Canada s Food Guide for each person www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu PowerPoint Presentation Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Studies Handout: Dietary Fat The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Dietitians of Canada) Pencils Optional: Food labels to illustrate different sources of fat (e.g. oils, fish, higher-fat yogurt, snack foods, baked goods). To help those with low literacy, the case studies are completed in small groups. Encourage one person from each group to read the case study aloud to the other group members. 1
Additional Recommended Resources EatRight Ontario Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport www.eatrightontario.ca or call toll-free to speak to a Registered Dietitian 1-877-510-5102 Health Canada www.healthcanada.gc.ca information on trans fat information on mercury levels in fish information on food labelling Living with Cholesterol Heart and Stroke Foundation, 2007 www.heartandstroke.on.ca 1-888-473-4636 Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods Health Canada, 2008 www.healthcanada.gc.ca/cnf 2
Mini-Lesson A discussion on the sources and types of fats and the health benefits and risks of fat will help participants get the most from this mini-lesson and the learning activities. To help you lead this discussion, use the Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu PowerPoint presentation and speaker notes. You may need to present this information in a format suitable for the group situation. You might copy the key information onto flip chart paper or make overhead projector transparencies.you might also choose to distribute handouts of the presentation slides. Begin this lesson by reviewing Canada s Food Guide. Distribute a copy of the Food Guide to each person. Highlight the key messages that focus on fat: Include a small amount - 30 to 45 ml (2 to 3 Tbsp) - of unsaturated fat each day. This includes oil used for cooking, salad dressings, margarine and mayonnaise. Choose foods prepared with little or no added fat (Vegetables and Fruit, Grain Products, Meat and Alternatives). Drink skim, 1% or 2% milk each day and select lower fat milk alternatives. Select lean meat and alternatives prepared with little or no added fat. Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu often. Eat at least two Food Guide Servings of fish each week. Use the information on each PowerPoint slide to guide your discussion on fats. The following discussion points for the leader may also help: 1. Canada s Food Guide and Fat Slide #2 Your body needs fat for many important functions. Eating some fat is a part of healthy eating. However, fats are high in calories and some harmful types of fat can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. Canada s Food Guide encourages a healthy eating pattern that includes lower fat foods. This is important to help reduce the total amount of fat in your diet and to help reduce the amount of saturated and trans (harmful) fats that you consume. Canada s Food Guide also recommends that you include a small amount of unsaturated (healthy fat) each day. The guidelines to support these choices are: Include a small amount of unsaturated fat each day. Choose foods prepared with little or no added fat. Drink skim, 1% or 2% milk each day and select lower fat milk alternatives. Select lean meat and alternatives prepared with little or no added fat. 3
Slide #3 Canada s Food Guide recommends that you include a small amount 30 to 45 ml (2 to 3 tablespoons) of unsaturated fat each day. This includes oil used for cooking, salad dressings, margarine and mayonnaise. Add small amounts of unsaturated (healthy) fat as part of a healthy pattern of eating that includes mostly lower fat foods. Slide #4 Canada s Food Guide recommends that you prepare foods with little or no added fats. Limit the use of high fat spreads, sauces and dressings. When cooking, try roasting, grilling, baking, stir-frying, steaming or poaching. These methods require little or no added fat. Slide #5 Canada s Food Guide recommends that you drink low fat milk (skim, 1% M.F. or 2% M.F.) and lower fat milk alternatives. Examples of lower fat milk alternatives are yogurt with 2% M.F. or less, and lower fat cheese, with 15% to 20% M.F. or less. Choosing lower fat milk and alternatives can help to reduce the amount of calories and saturated (harmful) fats that you consume. Slide #6 Canada s Food Guide encourages you to choose lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry to help to reduce the amount of saturated (harmful) fat that you consume. Choose meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu more often. These foods are low in saturated (harmful) fat. Legumes (beans, peas and lentils) are also a good source of folate and fibre. The Food Guide also recommends that you eat at least two Food Guide Servings of fish each week. Eating fish can help to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Eat at least 150 grams of fish each week (150 grams is about the size of 2 decks of cards). Prepare meats and alternatives without added fats. Avoid frying or deep-frying. Limit high fat sauces, butter and gravies. 2. Sources of Fat Slide #7 Many foods contribute to the total amount of fat in your diet. Fat is naturally present in foods such as meat, fish, cheese, nuts and avocados. A large amount of fat comes from oils and fats that are added to foods. Often these fats are added during cooking, for example oil used for frying. Fats are also used in baked goods such as muffins and pastries. Other fats are added at the table including salad dressings, sauces, mayonnaise and margarine. Show examples of sources of dietary fat using the pictures on slide #7 or pass around food labels of higher fat foods. 4
3. Type of Fat Slides #8 and #9 The type of fat that you eat is as important as the total amount of fat that you eat. Ask the group if they know which source of fat from the list is the most healthy choice? Answer: Soft non-hydrogenated margarine is made up mostly of healthy fat. It is a good source of unsaturated fats (healthy fats). It is lower in saturated and trans fats (harmful fats). Butter is high in saturated fat. Hard stick margarine is high in trans fat. Both are harmful fats. 4. Healthy Fats Slide #10 You should include mostly unsaturated fats in your diet. Good sources of these healthy fats include vegetable oils, soft-hydrogenated margarines, nuts and seeds, avocado and fish. These foods are important sources of essential fats (omega-3 and omega-6 fats) that cannot be made by the body. They must be consumed in the diet. Slides 11 and 12 have more information about these healthy fats. Slide #11 Omega-3 fats are healthy unsaturated fats that have many functions in our body. They are considered essential fats because the body cannot make them you have to get them from food. Omega-3 fats are important for brain function and normal growth and development. Research has found other possible health benefits. Further studies are needed to better determine their role in the prevention of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer s disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Slide #12 All fish contain at least some omega-3 fats. The best source is fatty fish such as salmon, rainbow trout, mackerel, sardines, herring and char. Canada s Food Guide recommends that you eat at least 2 Food Guide Servings of fish per week. Go to www.healthcanada.gc.ca for the latest information on limiting exposure to mercury from certain types of fish. Other good sources of omega-3 fats are certain vegetable oils, flaxseed, walnuts and soy products. Omega-3 eggs and milk with omega-3 fats added are also a good source. Beware of products with omega-3 fats added such as desserts or snack foods. These foods may be high in unhealthy fats and calories and may not provide a significant amount of omega-3 fats. 5
5. Harmful Fats Slide #13 Saturated fats are harmful fats because they can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Fatty and processed meats and high fat dairy foods such as butter, ice cream and cheese are high in saturated fats. Eat these foods less often and choose leaner and lower fat options. Here are some ideas: Have fish and meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu more often. Remove skin from poultry before cooking or buy skinless pieces. Choose lean cuts of meat such as round or loin instead of spare ribs, rib eye steak, prime rib, sausages and bacon. Make sandwiches with lower fat, unprocessed meats such as roast beef, pork, lamb, turkey or chicken instead of processed meats like salami, mortadella, prosciutto or pepperoni. Drink low fat milk (skim, 1% M.F. or 2% M.F.) and choose lower fat yogurt and cheese. A few tropical plant oils such as coconut oil, palm kernel oil and palm oil are also high in saturated fats and should also be limited. These fats are usually added to packaged foods. Check the ingredient list. Trans fat is considered the most harmful type of fat. Slide #14 Trans fat is considered the most harmful type of fat. It can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Trans fat may also increase blood vessel inflammation that can increase your risk for other health problems. Trans fat is formed through the industrial process of hydrogenation where liquid oils are made into semi-solid fats like hard margarine or shortenings. You can reduce your risk by choosing healthier foods that contain little or no trans fat. Choose soft non-hydrogenated margarines and avoid products containing hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil or shortening. By law, trans fat must be included on the Nutrition Facts table on packaged food. Look for products with close to 0 grams of trans fat. Health Canada has called upon the food industry to reduce the amount of trans fat in packaged and restaurant foods. As a result, many food companies are working to remove trans fats from their products. 6. Reading Food Labels for Fats Slide #15 The % Daily Value (%DV) tells you if there is a little or a lot of fat in a product. In this example, there is only 2.5 grams of total fat in one serving. The % Daily Value shows that this is 4% of the amount of fat that an average Canadian adult requires in one day a small amount. There is 0.3 grams of saturated fat and no trans fat. Together these harmful fats account for only 2% of the amount of harmful fat that an average Canadian adult should have in one day a very small amount. Based on this information, we can conclude that this product is low in total fat and low in harmful fat a good choice! 6
7. Additonal Questions (optional as time allows) Slide #16 Ask the group this question: Healthy fats are lower in calories than harmful fats. True or false? Answer: False. Per gram, healthy fats have the same amount of calories as harmful fats. High fat foods, whether healthy or not, are high in calories. Enjoy small amounts of healthy fats to keep calories in check. Slides #17 and #18 Ask the group to point out the sources of harmful fat. Answer: The foods in yellow are sources of saturated fat. The foods in red are sources of trans fat since they most likely are prepared with vegetable oil shortening. The remaining foods are sources of unsaturated fat. Healthy Fats on the Menu Case Studies Ask participants to work in pairs or small groups. Distribute one Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Study to each pair or small group. Ask groups to answer the question(s) on the case study. Distribute the handout: Dietary Fat The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Ask participants to refer to this handout for ideas to help complete this activity. Allow about 5 minutes for groups to work on this activity. Starting with Case Study #1, have each group report on their work by reading out the case study and their findings to the whole group. For most of the case studies there are many possible answers. Use the answer sheet to help guide participants on the right track. Note: The case studies are usually completed within minutes. The time consuming part of this activity is the reporting back. In small groups, or when you have plenty of time, you may be able to do all 10 case studies. When time is limited, here are some shortcut ideas: Don t use all the case studies. Choose five that you think will most appeal to your group. Have each group work on one case study. Choose two to four case studies and have each group work on the same case studies; this shortens the discussion. Wrap-Up Encourage participants to make lower fat and healthy fat choices at their next meal. Suggest additional resources related to this session. Distribute an evaluation for each person to complete. The feedback you get will be useful in planning future sessions. Evaluation forms are available on the Healthy Eating Manual website. 7
Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Studies Make copies of the case studies for your group to work with. Print out on heavy paper or card stock. Cut out each card. You may choose to laminate the cards so they can be used over and over. Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Study #1 You love bacon and eggs for breakfast. This morning you are having: 2 fried eggs 4 slices bacon 2 slices toast, well buttered 2 cups coffee, with double cream and sugar. Suggest ways to make this breakfast lower in fat. Include a small amount of healthy fat. Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Study #2 Your favourite fast food restaurant advertises that it only uses 100% vegetable oil shortening for deep frying. Should you choose the French fries at this restaurant? Why or why not? List at least five choices that you could make at a fast food restaurant that are lower in fat or include healthy fat. 8
Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Study #3 A large bag of potato chips (275 g) has this nutrition information on the label: If you eat this whole bag of potato chips (and many people do!) how much fat are you getting? How many calories are you getting? Hint: If a serving is only 50 grams, then this bag contains almost 6 servings! Nutrition Facts Per 21 chips (50 g) Amount % Daily Value Calories 280 Fat 18 g 27% Saturated 2 g 10% + Trans 0 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 290 mg 12% Carbohydrate 26 g 9% Fibre 2 g 8% Sugars 0 g Protein 3 g Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 20% Calcium 2% Iron 4% Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Study #4 It is break time and you are starving. The choices you have at the cafeteria are: Cheese and crackers Chocolate covered granola bar Yogurt (1% M.F.) Trail mix (nuts and dried fruit) Which snack would be the lowest in fat? Which snack would have the best source of healthy fat? 9
Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Study #5 You drink: 4 cups of coffee a day with double cream (2 Tbsp (30 ml)) per cup (Note: 2 Tbsp (30 ml) cream has 4 grams of fat) You switch to: 4 cups of coffee a day with 2% milk (2 Tbsp (30 ml per cup) (Note 2 Tbsp (30 ml) 2% milk has 1/2 gram of fat) How much fat do you save by making this switch? Is the fat that you save mostly healthy or harmful fat? Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Study #6 You pick up a whole grain fruit muffin at the coffee shop. The nutrition information on the website shows that the muffin has: serving = 1 muffin (130 g) fat = 17 g trans fat = 0.2 g calories = 400 saturated fat = 4 g Some of the ingredients are: vegetable oil shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, eggs, whole milk. To lower fat and calories, you decide to make muffins at home. What ingredients could you use to help reduce the amount of fat? What ingredients would provide healthy fats? 10
Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Study #7 For lunch you have the choice between: Vegetable cheese quiche with garden salad (low-fat dressing on the side) or Salmon sandwich (low-fat mayonnaise) with oven-baked sweet potato fries (tossed lightly with vegetable oil). Which lunch would be the lowest in fat? Which lunch would have the best source of healthy fat? Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Study #8 Ahhh a meal for a king! A juicy, grilled New York sirloin steak (8 oz./240 g), baked potato with a dollop of sour cream, a large Caesar salad, a piece of apple pie, coffee with cream. This meal has 83 g of fat and 27 g of saturated fat more than you should have for an entire day! Suggest ways to make this meal lower in fat. Include a small amount of healthy fat. 11
Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Study #9 Your weekly family supper menu includes main dishes such as: Macaroni and cheese Fish sticks Hot dogs Lasagna Roast beef with gravy Suggest meal ideas for your menu that are lower in fat and include healthy fat. Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Study #10 At the salad bar there are plenty of ways to turn a healthy plate of vegetables into a high calorie and high fat appetizer. Select toppings for your salad that are lower in fat and are healthy fats. bacon bits cherry tomatoes sunflower seeds ground flaxseed mushrooms shredded cheese edamame olives potato salad avocado grated carrots blue cheese dressing balsamic vinaigrette dressing low fat Ranch dressing croutons 12
Healthy Eating with Fats on the Menu Case Studies Answer Sheet for the Leader For most of the case studies there are many possible answers. Use the answer sheet to help guide participants on the right track. Work Case Study #1: Suggestions to reduce fat: poached, boiled, scrambled eggs fruit instead of bacon peameal bacon or ham instead of bacon milk instead of cream in coffee jam instead of butter on toast Suggestions to include healthy fat: small amount of oil or non-hydrogenated margarine to fry eggs. non-hydrogenated margarine instead of butter on toast. Case Study #2: Case Study #3: Case Study #4: Case Study #5: 1. No. Foods that are deep fried in vegetable oil shortening or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil contain harmful trans fats. 2. Examples of lower fat/healthy fat fast food choices: grilled chicken burger fish burger veggie burger salads (dressings and toppings on the side) sub sandwiches or wraps (lean meats, extra vegetables, low fat mayonnaise) vegetarian pizza Fat: 18 g per serving x 6 servings in the bag = 108 g Saturated Fat: 2 g per serving x 6 servings in the bag = 12 g Calories: 280 calories per serving x 6 servings in the bag = 1680 calories! 1. Yogurt (1% M.F.) is the lowest fat choice 2. Trail mix (nuts and dried fruit) is the best source of healthy unsaturated fat. Since they are high in fat, they are also high in calories. If you have trail mix for a snack, choose a small portion. 4 cups of coffee with double cream has 16 g of fat. 4 cups of coffee with 2% milk has 2 g fat. You save 14 g of fat by making this switch. This is the same as 3.5 tsp of fat! The fat that you save is mostly harmful (saturated) fat. 13
Worksheet #1 Case Study #6: Case Study #7: Case Study #8: Case Study #9: Case Study #10: Ingredients to help reduce the amount of fat: pureed fruit (i.e. applesauce, bananas, prunes) skim or 1% M.F. milk low fat yogurt egg whites Ingredients that have healthy fat: vegetable oil omega 3 eggs non-hydrogenated margarine The salmon sandwich and oven-baked sweet potato fries is lower in fat. This meal also has the best source of healthy fat. Fish, low-fat mayonnaise and vegetable oil are sources of unsaturated fats. Quiche is a higher fat meal and has more harmful fat. The cheese and pastry are sources of saturated and trans fat. Suggestions: Smaller steak (3-4 oz./75-100 g). Baked potato or sweet potato with salsa or non-hydrogenated margarine. Garden salad with lower fat salad dressing. Add salad toppings such as nuts/seeds, avocado or ground flax seed for a source of healthy fat. Berries with low-fat yogurt. Coffee with milk. Dishes with fish, beans, lentils and tofu: bean soups and stews lentil casserole vegetarian chili grilled, baked or poach fish and seafood Dishes with leaner and smaller portions of meat: grilled chicken pork tenderloin soups and stews with lean meat Meals that focus on vegetables: stir-fries vegetable pasta sauces vegetarian pizza Low fat toppings: cherry tomatoes mushrooms edamame grated carrots low fat Ranch dressing Healthy fat toppings: sunflower seeds ground flaxseed olives avocado balsamic vinaigrette dressing 14
Dietary Fat the Good, the Bad and the Ugly Should I use butter or margarine? Are nuts healthy? Is fat bad for my heart? What are omega-3 fats? Are you confused about fat? You are not alone. Dietary fat has been a hot topic for years and ongoing research has shown that not all fat is bad. In fact, some fat is good for you. Dietary fat and your health Your body needs fat for many important functions. Therefore, healthy eating includes eating some fat. However, as fats and oils are high in calories portions should be small to prevent excess weight gain. Of greatest importance is the type of fat you choose. Saturated and trans fat may raise your risk of heart attack or stroke because they increase the bad LDL cholesterol in your blood. On the other hand, some unsaturated fats lower your risk because they lower the LDL cholesterol and maintain a protective level of good HDL cholesterol. Other unsaturated fats lower risk by lowering blood triglyceride fat and reducing excessive blood clotting. Getting to know fat The Good Fat Unsaturated All unsaturated fats are healthy. Replacing saturated and trans fat with unsaturated fats can help improve your cholesterol levels and lower your risk for heart disease and stroke. Unsaturated fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. All liquid vegetable oils, nuts and seeds are high in unsaturated fat. The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fatty fish may also lower blood triglyceride levels and improve immune and inflammatory disorders. The Bad Fat Saturated Much of the fat in animal products is saturated. Fatty meats and high fat dairy products such as cheese are the main contributors of saturated fat in our Canadian diet. Plant sources of saturated fat include palm kernel and coconut oil, plus manufactured hydrogenated vegetable oils. These saturated fats are commonly used in processed and packaged foods. The different types of saturated fat are currently being studied closely to determine which pose the greatest risk for heart health. Dietary cholesterol is also present in animal products. Foods such as eggs and shrimp contain cholesterol, yet are low in saturated fat and therefore can be enjoyed in moderation. The Ugly Fat Trans Trans fat is industrially produced when vegetable oils are partially hydrogenated. Trans fat not only increases your bad cholesterol but also decreases your good cholesterol, and is the most risky fat for heart disease. Trans fat may also increase blood vessel inflammation that increases risk for other chronic health problems. There are PAGE 1 15
no known health benefits from industrially produced trans fat. Many Canadian food manufacturers are working to remove trans fats from their products. Limit the total amount of fat you eat Choose food products with less fat. Check the Nutrition Facts table on food labels and buy foods with a low amount of fat (grams or %) per serving; it is not necessary to always buy fat-free products. Use only a small amount of fat or oil in food preparation; avoid deep-frying. Reduce the quantity of fat used in homemade baking. Enjoy nuts and seeds in small portions. Limit spreads, dressings, rich sauces, gravies and high fat desserts and snack foods. Avoid trans fat Buy foods with zero trans fat or with the least amount of trans fat per serving. Read the ingredient list and avoid or limit foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or shortening. Limit commercial baked goods, crackers, cookies, biscuits, pies, waffles, snack foods and deep-fried fast foods that may be high in trans fat. Reduce saturated fat Limit shortening, hard or hydrogenated margarines, butter, and lard; only have gravy and other high fat sauces on occasion. Check the ingredient list on food labels and limit foods containing hydrogenated vegetable oil, shortening, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, beef tallow, suet, or cocoa butter. These ingredients are often found in commercial baked goods, crackers, chocolate bars, specialty coffees, non-dairy creamers and whipped toppings. Choose lean cuts of meat such as sirloin, loin, round, rump, and extra lean ground beef; trim off fat; remove skin from poultry; limit processed meats such as bologna, wieners, bacon, sausages, pepperoni. Choose skim or 1% milk, low-fat yogurt and light or partskim cheeses; limit ice cream, regular sour cream, coffee cream and whipping cream. Look for the percentage of milk fat (%MF) on the label of dairy products and choose those with the lower percentage, for example cheese with less than 22% MF. Choose monounsaturated fat Use olive, canola or peanut oil in cooking and baking. Choose salad dressings and soft non-hydrogenated margarines made with these oils. Snack on a small handful of peanuts or nuts such as almonds and pecans. Sprinkle slivered or chopped nuts, or seeds on cooked vegetables and salads. Spread peanut butter or nut butters on toast and bagels instead of butter. Toss slices of avocado into a salad. Increase omega-3 fatty acids Enjoy two fish meals a week using fresh, canned or unbattered frozen fish. Choose fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel and trout. Shellfish is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Sprinkle ground flaxseed, wheat germ, walnuts or pumpkin seeds on cereal, yogurt, and salads; use them in baking. Use canola oil in cooking and baking; choose salad dressings and non-hydrogenated margarines made with canola or flax oil. Choose foods fortified with omega-3 fatty acids; food manufacturers may use terms such as omega-3, n-3, ALA, EPA, or DHA. PAGE 2 16