The Facts on Fiber, Fat, Cholesterol, and Heart HealthHealth and nutrition professionals say a heart-healthy diet should include plenty of fiber and limited amounts of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. What’s the connection between heart disease and foods containing fiber, fat, and cholesterol? What foods should be included in a heart-healthy diet and which should be limited? Here’s a quick run-down of the facts:
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Saturated fat
Saturated fat is found in animal products such as fatty cuts of meat, chicken skin, full-fat dairy products (whole milk, butter, cream, cheese), and in tropical vegetable oils such as palm, palm kernel, and coconut oil.
Trans fat
This is a type of fat that is formed when vegetable oil is hardened through a process called hydrogenation. The process is used to prolong the shelf life of foods, give them shape, and make them more solid. Trans fat is found in vegetable shortening, hard or stick margarine, crackers, cookies, baked goods, fried foods, salad dressings, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Small amounts of trans fat also occur naturally in some animal products such as milk products, beef, and lamb.
Cholesterol
Foods that are typically high in cholesterol include organ meats such as liver, egg yolks, shrimp, and full-fat dairy products.
The fat-cholesterol-heart disease connection
Saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol in the diet raise the level of LDL cholesterol (often called “bad” cholesterol) in the blood. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Americans consume four to five times as much saturated fat as trans fat. But it’s important that consumers are aware of all three – saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol – in the foods they consume in order to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Limiting fat and cholesterol intake
How much fat and cholesterol should be included in a healthful diet? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 say that our total fat intake should be between 20 to 35 percent of total calories consumed, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. The guidelines say we should consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat and less than 300 milligrams a day of cholesterol. The guidelines recommend keeping trans fat consumption as low as possible.
What about the fiber-cholesterol connection?
Fiber is a substance that comes from plants and cannot be digested or absorbed by the human body. The type of fiber that we eat is called dietary fiber. There are two main types of dietary fiber – soluble and insoluble. Both are important for maintaining good health and should be included in foods we eat every day.
Choose barley for your heart health
Barley’s soluble fiber content, along with its naturally low-fat content and zero cholesterol make this grain a wise choice for heart-smart dining. Because barley is available in several forms (pearled, flour, and flakes), it may be used in many different recipes and for all eating occasions – breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Saturated fat is found in animal products such as fatty cuts of meat, chicken skin, full-fat dairy products (whole milk, butter, cream, cheese), and in tropical vegetable oils such as palm, palm kernel, and coconut oil.
Trans fat
This is a type of fat that is formed when vegetable oil is hardened through a process called hydrogenation. The process is used to prolong the shelf life of foods, give them shape, and make them more solid. Trans fat is found in vegetable shortening, hard or stick margarine, crackers, cookies, baked goods, fried foods, salad dressings, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Small amounts of trans fat also occur naturally in some animal products such as milk products, beef, and lamb.
Cholesterol
Foods that are typically high in cholesterol include organ meats such as liver, egg yolks, shrimp, and full-fat dairy products.
The fat-cholesterol-heart disease connection
Saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol in the diet raise the level of LDL cholesterol (often called “bad” cholesterol) in the blood. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Americans consume four to five times as much saturated fat as trans fat. But it’s important that consumers are aware of all three – saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol – in the foods they consume in order to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Limiting fat and cholesterol intake
How much fat and cholesterol should be included in a healthful diet? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 say that our total fat intake should be between 20 to 35 percent of total calories consumed, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. The guidelines say we should consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat and less than 300 milligrams a day of cholesterol. The guidelines recommend keeping trans fat consumption as low as possible.
What about the fiber-cholesterol connection?
Fiber is a substance that comes from plants and cannot be digested or absorbed by the human body. The type of fiber that we eat is called dietary fiber. There are two main types of dietary fiber – soluble and insoluble. Both are important for maintaining good health and should be included in foods we eat every day.
Choose barley for your heart health
Barley’s soluble fiber content, along with its naturally low-fat content and zero cholesterol make this grain a wise choice for heart-smart dining. Because barley is available in several forms (pearled, flour, and flakes), it may be used in many different recipes and for all eating occasions – breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
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