For years Australians have been told to avoid processed fats within their diet, however Mayver’s ambassador and leading dietitian, Susie Burrell, is debunking the myths on fat revealing the difference between good and bad fats and the important role the right fats plays in our diets.
Susie says that while Aussies get plenty of fat overall, many of us still do not get enough of the ‘good fats’.
“There are a number of different types of fat, including saturated, trans fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated but with so much nutrition information available, it is no wonder many of us get confused when it comes to fat,” Susie says.
“The types of fat we need to minimise in the diet are trans fats and saturated fat. Small amounts of trans fats are found in fast foods including processed cakes, biscuits and pastries, and saturated fats are found in some blended and in animal fats consumed via meat, dairy and packaged or processed foods.
“Consuming large quantities of these processed foods can promote inflammation in the body and high levels of inflammation over time are associated with an increased risk of developing a number of lifestyle related diseases including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and even some types of cancer.
“On the other hand, unprocessed, natural polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are the fats Australians need to eat more of and are commonly found in foods such as nuts or 100% natural nut spreads like Mayver’s Peanut Butter, seeds, oily fish, avocado and good quality Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil.”
Susie adds that there are two main types of polyunsaturated fats, omega-3 and omega-6, whereas monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, canola oil, avocado and different types of nuts.
“When incorporated as part of a balanced diet, unsaturated fats can actually help lower the risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol levels and promote healthy brain function,” says Susie.
“Adding just a handful of nuts or spreading a 30g serve of Mayver’s Peanut Butter onto a corn or brown rice cake as an afternoon snack is an easy and tasty way to begin incorporating portion controlled serves of the right unsaturated fats into your diet.
“Mayver’s has also introduced an Omega-3 Super Peanut Butter, which makes sneaking an extra boost of omega-3 and DHA into your own or your child’s diet a simple task.”
For a satisfying snack that’s full of healthy fats and will help keep you full until dinner time, try Susie’s Oatmeal Protein Balls or Mayver’s Peanut Butter Pancakes.
Mayver’s good fats recipes:
About Mayver’s
Mayver’s is an Australian family owned natural spread company. All Mayver’s natural spreads are vegan and contain absolutely no added oil, sugar, gluten, dairy, cholesterol or hardened fats and are nothing but goodness for your family.
Mayver’s products are available at Woolworths, Coles and independent retailers Australia-wide. For more information or recipe inspiration visit mayvers.com.au.