Fats & oils: Nutritional labels are ‘healthier’ than price tags

They might appear overzealous but they are just nothing but conscious shoppers. They will spend time reading labels on products in shops before they can spend their hard-earned money on it. And, when it comes to oils and fats, there is nothing more important than this rigour. Let not the price tag dictate your purchase, for some products might be pocket-friendly but more expensive in terms of leading you to the doctor. The campaign against fats and oils has continued to gain momentum forcing manufactures to change tactics in order to attract more consumers. One could argue that the new margarine (blue band) branded “Spread for bread” just fits perfectly for a dining table fat to be smeared on a breakfast accompaniment. Butter almost has similar properties but much tastier. But these comparisons end when we get to look at the primary ingredient; one is hardened vegetable oil and the other is a milk derivative. Nevertheless, the choice to bring either to your dining table depends on one’s pocket value. Away from the dining table, it is that cooking oil in the kitchen entrusted with improving the taste of beans and beef. While fats are solid at room temperature, oil is liquid but which of the two deserves to be on that shopping list? Edgar Rukambura, a public health nutritionist and researcher at Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Institute, said both plants and animals are sources of fats and oils. “Animal oils are obtained from parts and tissues that are fatty. Some can be obtained from animal products. For example, ghee and cheese are obtained from churned milk, while lard is an extract from rendered animal fat that is widely used for cooking,” Rukambura said. “Plant parts yield vegetable oils, but most plant oils are extracted from seeds such as corn oil and olive oil.” Since campaigns about excess fat consumption are on the increase, knowing what type of fat and oil should be used is crucial. Saturation vs. unsaturation A new research by the Harvard School of Public Health found that saturated fat intake averaged 9.4 per cent in 2010 globally. However, there exists variations between countries, ranging from 2.3 per cent to 27.5 per cent. Saturated fats are found in foods such as high-fat cheese, meat cuts, cream, whole-fat milk, ice cream, palm and coconut oils. This list includes plants and animal derivatives, indicating that both vegetarians and non-vegetarians should be concerned. Soft margarine Dr Joseph Kamugisha, in an article published in The New Times in December 2013, said oils such as mayonnaise, butter-cheese, among other tasty food additives, constitute fatty substances that can easily damage our health. The fats and oils that are usually added to our meals can cause a variety of health problems such as heart disease, cancer, obesity or even diabetes. “Although our body requires a regulated amount of lipids from the meals we take, consumption of large amounts of fats and oils can be detrimental to the overall health of an individual. This largely depends on the kind of fats and oils we take on a daily basis or at a given period of time,” Dr Kamugisha said. “Saturated fats found in fatty foods usually contain high cholesterol, which increase the levels of low density lipids. Therefore, the more saturated fats and cholesterol you consume, the greater your risk may be for developing cardiovascular diseases.” Emmanuella Mutenyo, a nutritionist at Andre Food Consultants, said vegetable oils do not contain cholesterol. For example Margarine is hardened fat from vegetable oils, so it contains no cholesterol. Margarine is also high in ‘good’ fats polyunsaturated and monounsaturated than animal sources like butter. Mutenyo said unsaturated fats help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol when substituted for saturated fat. Butter, on the other hand, is made from animal fat, so it contains cholesterol and high level of saturated fat. “Since margarine is widely consumed, concern should be on how many people check out the labels before shopping. But not all margarines have similar composition; some contain trans-fat. In fact, the more solid the margarine, the more trans-fat it contains. So stick margarines usually have more trans-fat than tub margarines. What is trans-fat? According to Mayo Clinic, when it comes to fat, trans-fat is considered by some doctors to be the worst type of fat. Unlike other fats, trans-fat — also called trans-fatty acids — both raises your ‘bad’ (LDL) cholesterol and lowers your ‘good’ (HDL) cholesterol. A high LDL cholesterol level in combination with a low HDL cholesterol level increases your risk of heart disease, the leading killer of men and women. Here’s some information about trans fat and how to avoid it. Trans-fat is made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through a process called hydrogenation, which makes the oil less likely to spoil. Using trans-fats in the manufacturing of foods helps foods stay fresh longer, have a longer shelf life and have a less greasy feel. “Look for a spread with the lowest calories that tastes good to you. It shouldn’t have trans-fats, but with the least amount of saturated fat,” Mutenyo advises. But how would you know the can of vegetable cooking oil is free of trans-fat? Read labels. That is why you will see many shoppers doing so. Look for the words ‘partially hydrogenated’ vegetable oil. That is another term for trans-fat. “Hydrogenated oil doesn’t contain trans-fat. Unlike partially hydrogenated oil, the process used to make fully or completely hydrogenated oil doesn’t result in trans-fatty acids. However, if the label says just ‘hydrogenated’ vegetable oil, it could mean the oil contains some trans-fat,” says Mayo Clinic. Although small amounts of trans-fat occur naturally in some meat and dairy products, it’s the trans-fats in processed foods that seem to be more harmful. The addition of hydrogen to oil increases your cholesterol more than other types of fats would do. It is thought that adding hydrogen to oil makes the oil more difficult to digest, and your body recognises trans-fats as saturated fats. Commercial baked goods, such as crackers, cookies and cakes, and many fried foods such as doughnuts and french fries, contain trans-fats. Trans-fat used to be more common, but in recent years food manufacturers have used it less because of concerns over the health effects of trans-fat. “While buying spreads, read the nutritional facts panel and check the grams of saturated fat and trans-fat. Also, look for products with a low percentage daily value for cholesterol,” Rukambura advises. Eat that Nile Perch and tilapia Those fats and oils that cannot be processed by the body are said to be essential. This is because they are obtained from other external sources. Fish is a good source of essential fatty acids mainly ‘Omega-3-fatty acids’. However some nuts also contain omega-3-fatty acids. According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, fish oil/omega-3/DHA supplements were used. It was established that out of survey participants who had used selected natural products in the last 30 days, 37 per cent of adults (10.9 million) and 31 per cent of children (441,000) had taken an omega-3 supplement for health reasons. A diet rich in Omega-3 is good for brain development, and for prevention of cardiovascular diseases. “Omega-3 is good for the heart and for the function of cells which are the basic functioning organs of the body,” Mutenyo said. “We advise giving weaning infants, cod fish liver oil because it contains Omega-3-fatty acids that are an important part of cell membranes and are required for the formation of important hormones that control functions such as heart beat, brain development, contracting and relaxing of arteries,” he said. Much as fats and oils have a rich composition, failure to read storage instructions proves to be harmful to consumers.

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Fats & oils: Nutritional labels are ‘healthier’ than price tags