What about Fat ?
Fat is a major component of the diet. However it is advisable to make sure you are having a balanced diet with regard to the type of fat that you can eat.
People with diabetes have a higher risk of heart disease, so it is especially beneficial to reduce your intake of saturated fat and include small amounts of polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats instead.
Use a monounsaturated fat rather than saturated or polyunsaturated fat.
Eat fish twice a week ·
If you are overweight, it is also important to reduce the total amount of fat you are eating.
| Types of fat | Description | Benefits | Sources in Diet |
| Saturated | Mainly from animal origin |
No Benefits
Increases cholesterol levels
|
Meat, full fat dairy products,
lard, dripping, suet, butter, ghee
|
| Polyunsaturated | Plant, vegetable and animal origin Liquid at room temperature | Reduces total cholesterol in blood | Oil and margarines made from sunflower, safflower and corn / maize |
| Monounsaturated | Plant originLiquid at room temperature but starts to solidify if refrigerated | Reduces total and ‘bad’ cholesterol in blood |
Olive oils and spreads, rapeseed oil, ground nut oils, avocados
Nuts – taking a small handful of unsalted nuts each day can help lower cholesterol. Nuts are high in calories so take only in small amounts.
|
| Hydrogenated vegetable oils (trans fats) | Vegetable oils that have been processed to become solid or semi-solid at room temperature |
No benefits
Increases cholesterol levels
|
Hard margarines, processed foods such has cakes, pies, pastries, pasties and biscuits , foods with “hydrogenated fat” in the ingredients list. |
|
Omega 3
(Polyunsaturated fats
|
Found in fresh, frozen or tinned fish. | Eating fish twice a week and making one of these an oily fish can reduce the risk of a heart attack. | Fresh, frozen or tinned fish (although tinned tuna has very little Omega 3 due to processing). Oily fish include: sardines, salmon, mackerel, trout and herrings |
| Plant Sterol Spreads | Added to various products such as margarines and yogurts. | Taken in recommended quantities can help to lower cholesterol levels | ProActiv, Benecol, supermarket own brands. * Remember these can be expensive and there are other dietary changes that can lower your cholesterol level. |
This information can be downloaded as a leaflet from the righ-hand side of the page.
Leaflets