Test your fat facts
While more women die from heart disease and stroke than any other disease in Canada,
you can help reduce your risk by making better food choices. But, according
to the latest nutrition trends survey by the Canadian Council of Food and Nutrition1,
many Canadians are uncertain about the facts of fat and cholesterol.
Test your own knowledge by deciding
if these five nutrition statements are fact or fiction — and see how you
compare with those who took the survey.
1. Fact or fiction: Hard stick
margarine is better for you than soft margarine.
FICTION. If you didn't know this one, you aren't alone: A third
of people surveyed did not know if this statement was true or false and 13%
mistakenly agreed with it.
What you need to know: Soft tub margarines typically contain little
or no trans fat (also known as trans fatty acids). On the other hand, hard stick
margarine typically contains more than 3 grams of trans fat per tablespoon (15 mL). Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide recommends that we choose
soft margarines that are low in saturated and trans fat and that we limit the
use of hard stick margarines.
2. Fact or fiction: Non-hydrogenated
or soft margarine contains less fat than butter.
FICTION (but there's more than meets the eye!). Four out of
10 survey respondents (41%) wrongly agreed with this statement, while 21% just
didn't know. Fact is, soft margarine is a wise choice, even though it contains
the same amount of fat as butter.
What you need to know: Both soft margarine and butter
contain the same amount of total fat, but the type of fat
is very different. A well-chosen soft non-hydrogenated margarine will be low
in saturated fat and contain no trans fat. Butter contains mostly saturated
and trans fat. When it comes to heart healthy eating, we need to think about
both the total amount and the type of fat we eat. In fact, Eating Well with
Canada's Food Guide recommends we include 2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 mL) of
unsaturated fat — including soft, non-hydrogenated margarines —
in our diet each day.
3. Fact or fiction: Trans
fatty acids have the same effect as saturated fat.
FACT. Nearly a third of Canadians surveyed responded correctly
to this statement, while 27% weren't sure.
What you need to know: Eating too much trans fat and
eating too much saturated fat are both related to a higher risk of developing
heart disease.
4. Fact or fiction: The amount
of cholesterol people eat is the major factor that affects their blood cholesterol.
FICTION. A majority of Canadians surveyed (63%) were wrong
on this one, highlighting one of the biggest misconceptions about cholesterol
and health.
What you need to know: It's really the amount and
type of fat we eat (not the amount of cholesterol we eat) that has
the biggest impact on blood cholesterol levels. That's one reason why Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide encourages us to choose foods that contain less saturated fat and trans fat and are prepared with little or no added fat. The Food Guide also recommends that we eat a small amount (2 to 3 tbsp
or 30 to 45 mL) of unsaturated fat each day. This includes oil used for cooking,
salad dressings, mayonnaise, and soft margarine.
5. Fact or fiction: Omega-3
fatty acids are essential to a healthy diet.
FACT. Three in four people surveyed (75%) got this right, knowing
the importance of this kind of fat to a healthy diet.
What you need to know: According to the Canadian Council
of Food and Nutrition, omega-3 fats are essential to good health. Omega-3 fats are a type of polyunsaturated fat found naturally in fatty fish, walnuts, flax and vegetable oils (such as canola and soybean oil). They can also be found in soft margarines made from these oils. You'll also find omega-3 fats added to foods including milk, eggs, bread and our own Becel
Omega3 plus.
1The
use of this nutrition trends survey information is not an endorsement by the
Canadian Council of Food and Nutrition.