The Skinny on Cooking With Fat

Q: I saw a new commercial that implies that nonstick cooking sprays such as Pam are not safe for you because of the chemicals that they contain. Is that true? Is it better to use butter, margarine or oil when cooking?

A: This is could not be farther from the truth. Americans have one of the safest food supplies in the world. Anything in the store that is made for you to eat is tested rigorously for safety and sanitation before hitting the shelves. Nonstick sprays are no exception. They are a safe, healthy way to cut back on calories from fat.

Should you use butter, margarine or oil? Having limited amounts of any of these fats can be a healthy part of your diet. But you also need to understand that all fats are not created equal. Fats fall into four main categories: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated and trans. They can be found in different types of foods and have these effects:

• Monounsaturated fats offer the greatest health benefits. They decrease your total and bad cholesterol and increase your good cholesterol. They can be found in walnuts, cashews and peanuts and in nut oils like almond and olive.
• Polyunsaturated fats are also beneficial as they decrease your total and bad cholesterol. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are types of polyunsaturated fats. Highly polyunsaturated omega-3s are found in seafood, while omega-6s are found in vegetable oils like soybean, corn and safflower.
• Saturated fats, found in animal products like dairy products and meat, are bad for you, as they increase your total and bad cholesterol level.
• And, finally, we have trans fats. They are mostly man-made and found in pastries, margarines and spreads. They have the same effect as saturated fats and also lower your good cholesterol.

When a recipe calls for fat, choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources. As an option of last resort, select soft margarines and spreads. You should keep in mind, too, that the type of pan you cook with can make a difference. Well-seasoned cast-iron cookware and nonstick pans can lessen the amount of fat needed to keep starchy dishes from sticking. Proper care for cast-iron and nonstick pans can assure that you can use your cookware for years to come.

But don’t just ponder what fats you eat, you also need reduce the amount of fat that you put in the dish. All fats contain about twice the amount of calories in equivalent servings of protein and carbohydrate. So, ask yourself, “How can I cut back on ALL fat in my diet?” Some answers:

• Eat out less and enjoy meals at home more often.
• Choose fish, lean cuts of red meats and skinless chicken breasts.
• Bake, broil, roast and grill fish, chicken and other meats.
• Roast and grill meats by placing them on a rack to allow the fat to drain.
• Trim away visible fat and skin on higher-fat meat cuts.
• Use tofu and beans as an alternative source of protein.
• Select low-fat and fat-free yogurt, milk and cheese.
• Cut back the fat by substituting one whole egg and six egg whites for every three eggs in a recipe.
• Replace butter, margarine and hard fats with low-fat spreads or polyunsaturated margarine.
• Grill or steam vegetables and awaken their flavor with herbs and spices.
• Enjoy salads with a fat-free vinaigrette of balsamic vinegar, dry mustard and herbs, or try a three parts vinegar to one part olive oil combination if you prefer.
• Toast nuts before adding them to your favorite dishes to maximize flavor.
• Intensify the chocolate flavor in your brownies by adding applesauce, strained prunes or other baby-food fruits for up to half of the fat in your recipe.
• Think Mediterranean! The diet from this region is rich in monounsaturated fats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains and focuses more on seafood than on red meat and dairy.

Again, instead of worrying only about the type of fat you eat, focus on decreasing the overall amount. From the bottom of your heart, you will feel the effects of changing your eating habits.

Want To Know More?

• Lyon Diet Heart Study
• American Dietetic Association
• American Heart Association backgrounder on Mediterranean cuisine
• American Heart Association backgrounder on trans fats
• Environmental Protection Agency on PFOAs
• Fat facts from the FDA
• Learn more about standards for foods hitting the market

Find all articles by Keecha.

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Keecha Harris is President of Harris and Associates, a food systems and public health consulting firm based in Birmingham, Ala. (Read her full bio.)