What's It all About?

What we call "fats" are actually a class of molecules known as fatty acids---strings of carbon atoms with varying numbers of hydrogen atoms attached. Fats with a hydrogen atom attached at every available site are "saturated" with hydrogen---more commonly known as saturated fats.

Fatty acids with one hydrogen atom missing are known as monounsaturated fats and those with more than one hydrogen atom missing are known as polyunsaturated fats.

These small changes in chemical structure have significantly different effects on health. Saturated fats raise serum cholesterol levels and thus pose the greatest threat to your heart. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats do not raise cholesterol levels. In fact, research indicates that both may actually reduce blood cholesterol levels, when substituted for saturated fat in the diet.
                                          
An increasing body of evidence suggests that trans-fatty acids raise LDL---cholesterol levels, perhaps even more than saturated fatty acids, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease. In a process called hydrogenation, food companies add hydrogen to vegetable oil, converting the oil to a firmer, less perishable form rich in a kind of fatty acid known as trans-fat for its particular chemical configuration. This alteration makes the vegetable oil more like animal fat chemically---and more like animal fat in its effect on health.

Because most food labels do not include the amount of trans-fat on the Nutrition Facts panel, it is wise to look for "partially hydrogenated" vegetable oils. If this is listed as one of the first three ingredients, it usually indicates the product contains substantial amounts of trans-fats.

Saturated fats, trans-fats and to a lesser extent, cholesterol, increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. Eating foods containing any of these types of fats will elevate blood cholesterol levels leading to the condition known as atherosclerosis. Elevated cholesterol levels can lead to atherosclerosis,a buildup of fatty deposits on artery walls, which both narrows the vessels and decreases their elasticity.
                                                                                                                                When plaque (fatty build-up) inside a coronary artery restricts the flow of blood, the heart warns of diminished supply with severe chest pains called angina. If a blood clot completely blocks the constricted artery, the result is a heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction.

There are heart-healthy foods that can actually improve cardiovascular health by their blood thinning effect, which can help prevent the formation of blood clots.  Blood clotting is an essential function necessary for healing scrapes and cuts. This happens when tiny blood cells called platelets stick together to begin building a clot. But when platelets become too sticky, clots may form in the bloodstream, preventing the flow of blood to the heart or brain, and leading to heart attacks or strokes.
Research has shown that foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids reduce blood clotting. The richest sources of omega-3's are found in fatty fish. Experts recommend two to three servings of omega-3 fish/week. These fish include: bluefish, herring, mackerel, pompano, rainbow trout, sable, salmon, sardines, tuna and whitefish.

A diet with less total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol is recommended for all healthy Americans 2 years of age and older. Foods rich in cholesterol to avoid are animal foods including dairy products, meat, fish, poultry, egg yolks and organ meats.

Researchers have shown a direct link between high intakes of two B vitamins and a reduced risk of heart disease. Folic acid and vitamin B-6 protect the heart by lowering homocysteine levels in the blood. Foods rich in these two vitamins are fortified cereals, leafy green vegetables, oranges, chicken, bananas and whole grains.

Lobster, shrimp and other shellfish no longer rank up there with foods high in saturated fat to avoid at all cost, even for people with elevated cholesterol levels. Why the change in theory? Well, shellfish contains less cholesterol than once thought. Old methods of testing gave high cholesterol readings. Most shellfish contain no more cholesterol than many cuts of lean meat and poultry and some contain even less.

To understand this a little better, take a look at a few comparisons. Three 1/2 ounces of extra lean ground beef or chicken breast without the skin both contain 84 milligrams of cholesterol. In comparison, the same amount of lobster contains 72 milligrams of cholesterol. Clams, mussels and crab contain even less. Shrimp tops the list for the shellfish highest in cholesterol---195 milligrams---for the same three 1/2 ounces                    

While allot remains to be learned, research does point to the fact that dietary cholesterol is not the main culprit in raising serum cholesterol.  What appears to have the greatest impact on serum cholesterol are saturated and trans-fatty acids. Shellfish, while similar to many meats in cholesterol content, they contain far less fat and saturated fat. Here's the scoop on that.

Three 1/2 ounces of extra lean ground beef contains 16.3 grams of fat and 6.4 grams of saturated fat. While the same amount of a skinless chicken breast contains less than the beef---3.6 grams of fat and 1 gram of saturated fat, it is still significantly higher than the shellfish. Three 1/2 ounces of shrimp contains 1.1 grams of fat with only .3 milligrams of saturated fat and an equal portion of lobster contains merely .6 milligrams of fat and .1milligram of saturated fat.                                                                                                                    
So, eat some shellfish if you like without guilt but keep in mind to:

Eat reasonably sized portions.
Use low-fat cooking methods, like steaming instead of frying.
Don't order fish when you're out if it's served in some sort of butter sauce.
Note---frozen shellfish dishes are often high in cholesterol and fat. 

While the issue regarding the inclusion of eggs in the diet still needs further investigation, we do know some important facts. One large egg (poached without butter or margarine) contains about 212 milligrams of cholesterol with only 1.5 milligrams of saturated fat. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol/day or a weekly maximum of 4 eggs for healthy people.

Recommendation---If your blood cholesterol is high or if you have other factors for heart disease or already have heart disease, you should probably follow a more stringent diet, avoiding foods high in cholesterol, saturated and trans-fats.

Add These Foods
Research has shown that foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids reduce blood clotting. The richest sources of omega-3's are found in fatty fish. Experts recommend two to three servings of omega-3 fish/week. These fish include: bluefish, herring, mackerel, pompano, rainbow trout, sable, salmon, sardines, tuna and whitefish.

Limit These Foods
Foods high in saturated fats are known to be hazardous to the heart. Because of this it is wise to limit your intake of meat, poultry skin and fat, dairy products (butter, whole milk, cheese, ice cream), palm and palm kernel oil, coconut and coconut oil, and cocoa butter.

Harvard researchers confirmed what has been suspected for some time---that trans-fats play a significant role in increasing your risk of heart disease. These fats are produced when unsaturated fats are made harder by a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenated fats have found their way into into nearly all prepared food items on the market. So, it's advisable to eat fewer packaged snacks, crackers, cookies, pastries, peanut butter, fried foods including deep fried fast foods as well as stick margarines and shortening like Crisco.


Cholesterol Facts
Fatty meat has about the same amount of cholesterol as lean cuts, since the concentration of cholesterol in fat and lean tissue is the same---approximately 20 to 30 milligrams per ounce. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in all cells and nerve fibers of animals. So, why avoid fatty meat? The reason is that high fat meats are a rich in saturated fat, which stimulates the body's production of cholesterol even more than cholesterol does.