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| By Ng Hooi Lin |
| Nutritionist, Singapore Heart Foundation |
| Some of us may have an impression that all fats are bad for us. That’s not true! Unsaturated fats, in the form of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are good fats that we must include in our diet. There is an increasing number of studies showing that these ‘healthy’ fats may help to reduce blood cholesterol levels. The key is to substitute good fats for bad fats, as good fats may reduce your risk of getting heart disease. |
| Polyunsaturated fats include Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats. Omega 3 fats are found in seafood and fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, tuna and sardine, while Omega 6 fats are found in seeds like sunflower seeds and pure vegetable oils such as sunflower, soybean and corn oil. |
| How do we increase our intake of unsaturated fats in our diet? |
| 1. Include fatty fish such as grilled or baked salmon in your meals. |
| 2. Try having tuna sandwich for breakfast instead of curry puff or deep fried sotong balls. |
| 3. Snack on unsalted nuts like walnuts or almonds instead of those high in saturated and trans fats. Having these nuts near you in the office is a healthy way to stave off snack attacks. |
| 4. When cooking at home, use pure vegetable oils. |
| 5. Sprinkle some chopped nuts over your vegetable salad as an easy and no-fuss way to add unsaturated fat in your meal. |
| Related Articles |
| F-A-T: Eat less, not fat-free |
| Saturated fat: Low, Lower, Lowest! |
| Trans fat in foods |
| Back to Nutrition Tips |
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