Heart and blood vessel disease

It is the number one cause of death in Thailand and abroad. One of the causes is behavior and lifestyle. One of them is Abnormal blood cholesterol problems From eating foods high in fat and cholesterol.

Many people try to eat low-fat foods and avoid foods that are high in cholesterol, such as egg yolks, seafood, or animal organ meats. To hope for better health But it seems that the number of patients with chronic non-communicable diseases (Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs)) have not yet decreased, and eating this way still causes us to lack “Good fats” (Healthy Fats) which are also necessary for the body.

What is fat?

Fat is necessary for the body. We need fat from food to use as a source of energy. Fat also helps in the absorption of certain vitamins and phytochemicals. It is an important part of the cell wall and nerve cell membrane. Including the process of blood clotting and inflammation in the body.

All fats have a similar chemical composition. Consists of carbon and hydrogen. Slight structural differences Can create different shapes and functions. Fats are divided into three main types: Unsaturated Fats, Saturated Fats, and Trans Fats.

trans fat

The worst fat What we know as trans fats (Trans Fats) or trans fatty acids (Trans-fatty Acids) are produced in an industrial process. By adding hydrogen to vegetable oil. (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils) to make the oil more solid. and prevent rancidity Trans fats are used in the production of baked goods, including pizza, croissants, cakes, donuts, cookies, etc.

Trans fats are extremely harmful to health. Because it not only increases dangerous fat levels like LDL-cholesterol But it also reduces the level of good fat. HDL-cholesterol also increases inflammatory processes in the body. Contributes to insulin resistance. which is related to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic non-communicable diseases, eating even a small amount of trans fats is harmful to health. Studies have shown that if you eat 2% trans fat every day, it increases your risk of heart disease by up to 23%.

In 2018, Thailand announced the Ministry of Public Health banning the production, import, or sale of food containing trans fats. However, entrepreneurs have adapted. By changing from vegetable oil with only partial hydrogenation (Partial Hydrogenation) to full hydrogenation (Full Hydrogenation) or, simply put, changing trans fats. It's saturated fat.

Saturated fat

Saturated Fat is a fat whose molecule has no double bonds at all. Resulting in a solid state at room temperature (25 degrees Celsius) in foods such as milk, butter, cheese, fat or animal oil. Coconut oil, palm fat, or vegetable oil that has gone through the process of fully hydrogenating (Fully Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil) such as butter from vegetable oil, etc.

Consumption of saturated fat increases the level of LDL-cholesterol can be elevated, increasing the risk of blockages in the artery walls. Causes of Stroke (Stroke) Coronary Heart Disease (Heart Disease) Generally, it is recommended to consume less than 10% of saturated fat of daily energy needs. But in people at risk or people who want to lower their blood cholesterol levels The American Heart Association recommends that saturated fat should not exceed 5-6% of daily energy intake, or approximately 11-13 grams. (2–3 teaspoons) per 2,000 kilocalories of energy need

to check whether Does the food product you want to eat contain saturated fat? Can use reading method “Nutrition label” because according to law, manufacturers must display the information. If the product has saturated fat content higher than 0.5 grams per serving,

Unsaturated fat

A good way to reduce your intake of saturated fat. It's not about avoiding eating fat. But it is a choice to eat good fat instead, which is one position of unsaturated fat. (Monounsaturated Fats) or Omega 9 obtained from olive oil. Nuts such as peanuts, almonds, canola oil, avocados, and polyunsaturated fats. (Polyunsaturated Fats) or Omega 3 from fish, flaxseed, canola oil and Omega 6 from vegetable oils and various seeds.

The research shows that Choosing to eat unsaturated fats Helps reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. (Cardiovascular Disease) up to 25% helps reduce inflammatory processes in the body. Slows blood clotting, prevents blood clots. It can also reduce the risk of dementia.

Eating the right foods can help reduce risk factors that lead to heart disease and stroke. The recommendations for eating are as follows:

Food to choose

• Choose to eat good fats from fish, tofu, avocados, nuts such as peanuts, cashew nuts, almonds, and use olive oil, rice bran oil, or canola oil for cooking.
• To reduce the consumption of saturated fat from meat You should eat mainly plant-based foods (Plant-based Diet) such as protein from beans, tofu, and cow's milk substitutes (Non-dairy Products).
• Eat whole grains as a source of carbohydrates, such as brown rice, dried beans such as mung beans, millet, red beans, corn, green peas, etc.

Foods to avoid

• Should avoid saturated fat from Fatty meats, animal oils, processed meats such as sausages, bacon, salami, butter, cheese, full-fat milk, coconut oil, palm oil, non-dairy cream, whipping cream, etc.
• Various baked goods such as croissants, donuts, pizza because they contain a large amount of butter or margarine.
• Refined carbohydrates Foods with a high amount of starch and sugar such as white bread, granulated sugar, desserts, and baked goods.

References

1. Dong D.Wang. Association of specific Dietary Fats With Total and Cause-Specific Mortality. JAMA Intern Med. 2016;176(8):1134-1145
2. Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JH, Appel LJ, Creager MA, Kris-Etherton PM, et al. Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2017;136(3):e1-e23.
3. The National Agricultural Library. USDA Food Composition Databases V.3.8.6.4. United State of America. 2020