Fat is an essential nutrient, needed for many body processes. It is also a great energy source. Our body can produce some fats but there are some essential fats we cannot make and therefore rely on from the diet. Dietary fat also provides fat soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A and D, which are particularly important for young children.
Types of fats
Fats can be classified into four groups. Each group of fats behaves differently inside the body. Different foods contain different ratios of fat types.
1. Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature. They can affect heart health through their impact on cholesterol. Saturated fats can be found in:
Fatty cuts of meat
Whole dairy products including cheese, butter and cream
Commercially baked products such as biscuits and pastries
Deep fried fast foods
Coconut and palm oil
2. Monounsaturated fats are normally liquid at room temperature. They tend not to impact cholesterol the way saturated fats do from the diet. Sources of monounsaturated fats in the diet include:
Oils such as olive, canola and peanut
Margarine spreads derived from these oils
Avocados
Nuts such as peanuts, hazelnuts, cashews and almonds
3. Polyunsaturated fats like monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. They have a similar effect on cholesterol to monounsaturated fats in the diet. Dietary sources of polyunsaturated fats include:
Oily fish and seafood such as salmon, tuna and sardines
Polyunsaturated margarines
Vegetable oils such as safflower, sunflower, corn or soy oils
Nuts such as walnuts and brazil nuts, and seeds.
4. Trans fats are typically created during the processing of vegetable oils and are predominately found in commercially produced foods such as cakes and biscuits. They may also be found in the manufacture of some table margarines and solid spreads. The trans-fatty acids produced during processing of vegetable oils behave like saturated fats in the body and may have a negative impact on the heart.
Look for margarines that have less than one per cent trans fatty acids on the label. Check commercial cakes and biscuits for trans-fat levels also.
Trans fatty acids can also be created in the rumen or stomach of cows and sheep and naturally appear in small amounts in milk, cheese, beef and lamb. The trans-fats found naturally in dairy foods do not appear to have a negative impact on the heart. In fact some research suggests that the trans fat conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may be beneficial.
Is there fat in juice?
In general fruit juices contain virtually no fat and are labelled as less than one gram of fat per 100mL or serve.
Dietary fibre is the component of food that we do not digest in our stomachs so it passes through to our gut. There are two main types of dietary fibre – soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre may be used (fermented) in the gut by bacteria, whereas insoluble fibre may pass through the gut unfermented. Lots of cereals, whole grains, legumes, fruit and vegetables are naturally high in dietary fibre.
The National Heart Foundation of Australia and the Australian Dietary Guidelines recognise the many benefits for adequate dietary fibre intakes for gut, bowel and heart health, as well as weight management.
Folate is the commonly used name for folic acid. Folic acid is the stable form that is often added to foods for fortification.
Folate is a B-group vitamin, essential for the formation of genetic material (such as DNA), red blood cells, and for protein metabolism.
It is important that women of childbearing age consume adequate amounts of folate both prior to conception and during pregnancy. Women who consume adequate amounts of folate are more likely to have a healthy pregnancy.
Folate is found in dark green leafy vegetables, oranges and some other fruits, as well as yeast extract. Fruit juices can also provide a source of folate. For instance one 200ml glass of orange juice can provide 40 micrograms (µg) of folate.
How much folate do I need?
The Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand, which includes recommended dietary intakes (RDIs), were updated in 2006. Below is a table of the new folate RDIs. However the food law in Australia has not yet updated the RDIs for use on food labelling and packaging. Hence you will find the old values are still used on all food products. And hence we have included below a table of the old RDIs for your information.
New Recommended dietary folate intakes*
Age Group
Amount of folate per day (g)
Adult women
400
Pregnant women
600
Lactating women
500
Adult men
400
Children 14 to 18 years
400
Children 9 to 13 years
300
Children 4 to 8 years
200
Children 1 to 3 years
150
*NHMRC (2006), Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing and the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
Old recommended dietary folate intakes*
Age Group
Amount of folate per day (g)
Women
200
Pregnant
+200
Lactating
+150
Adult men
200
Children 8 to 11 years
150
Children 1 to 7 years
100
*NHMRC (1991), Recommended Dietary Intakes for use in Australia, Australian Government Publishing, Canberra.
Flavonoids have antioxidant properties and function to neutralise or destroy free radicals. Antioxidants are one of the body’s defence mechanisms – protection against life’s ‘stresses’.
There are thousands of different types of flavonoids and most foods have a mixture of them, sometimes a particular flavonoid may be predominant in one food, such as berry fruits are rich in anthocyanins.
Fruit (particularly citrus fruit), vegetables and juices are rich in flavonoids. These compounds are found in great abundance in all plant foods and are partially responsible for the colour, astringency and bitterness of foods and beverages.
Growing sociability and wellbeing in our world
Nutrition A-Z
F
Fat
Fat is an essential nutrient, needed for many body processes. It is also a great energy source. Our body can produce some fats but there are some essential fats we cannot make and therefore rely on from the diet. Dietary fat also provides fat soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A and D, which are particularly important for young children.
Types of fats
Fats can be classified into four groups. Each group of fats behaves differently inside the body. Different foods contain different ratios of fat types.
1. Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature. They can affect heart health through their impact on cholesterol. Saturated fats can be found in:
2. Monounsaturated fats are normally liquid at room temperature. They tend not to impact cholesterol the way saturated fats do from the diet. Sources of monounsaturated fats in the diet include:
3. Polyunsaturated fats like monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. They have a similar effect on cholesterol to monounsaturated fats in the diet. Dietary sources of polyunsaturated fats include:
4. Trans fats are typically created during the processing of vegetable oils and are predominately found in commercially produced foods such as cakes and biscuits. They may also be found in the manufacture of some table margarines and solid spreads. The trans-fatty acids produced during processing of vegetable oils behave like saturated fats in the body and may have a negative impact on the heart.
Look for margarines that have less than one per cent trans fatty acids on the label. Check commercial cakes and biscuits for trans-fat levels also.
Trans fatty acids can also be created in the rumen or stomach of cows and sheep and naturally appear in small amounts in milk, cheese, beef and lamb. The trans-fats found naturally in dairy foods do not appear to have a negative impact on the heart. In fact some research suggests that the trans fat conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may be beneficial.
Is there fat in juice?
In general fruit juices contain virtually no fat and are labelled as less than one gram of fat per 100mL or serve.
Back to Top
Fibre
Dietary fibre is the component of food that we do not digest in our stomachs so it passes through to our gut. There are two main types of dietary fibre – soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre may be used (fermented) in the gut by bacteria, whereas insoluble fibre may pass through the gut unfermented. Lots of cereals, whole grains, legumes, fruit and vegetables are naturally high in dietary fibre.
The National Heart Foundation of Australia and the Australian Dietary Guidelines recognise the many benefits for adequate dietary fibre intakes for gut, bowel and heart health, as well as weight management.
Back to Top
Folate / Folic Acid
Folate is the commonly used name for folic acid. Folic acid is the stable form that is often added to foods for fortification.
Folate is a B-group vitamin, essential for the formation of genetic material (such as DNA), red blood cells, and for protein metabolism.
It is important that women of childbearing age consume adequate amounts of folate both prior to conception and during pregnancy. Women who consume adequate amounts of folate are more likely to have a healthy pregnancy.
Folate is found in dark green leafy vegetables, oranges and some other fruits, as well as yeast extract. Fruit juices can also provide a source of folate. For instance one 200ml glass of orange juice can provide 40 micrograms (µg) of folate.
How much folate do I need?
The Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand, which includes recommended dietary intakes (RDIs), were updated in 2006. Below is a table of the new folate RDIs. However the food law in Australia has not yet updated the RDIs for use on food labelling and packaging. Hence you will find the old values are still used on all food products. And hence we have included below a table of the old RDIs for your information.
New Recommended dietary folate intakes*
Age Group
Amount of folate per day (g)
Adult women
400
Pregnant women
600
Lactating women
500
Adult men
400
Children 14 to 18 years
400
Children 9 to 13 years
300
Children 4 to 8 years
200
Children 1 to 3 years
150
*NHMRC (2006), Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing and the New Zealand Ministry of Health.
Old recommended dietary folate intakes*
Age Group
Amount of folate per day (g)
Women
200
Pregnant
+200
Lactating
+150
Adult men
200
Children 8 to 11 years
150
Children 1 to 7 years
100
*NHMRC (1991), Recommended Dietary Intakes for use in Australia, Australian Government Publishing, Canberra.
Back to Top
Flavonoids
Flavonoids have antioxidant properties and function to neutralise or destroy free radicals. Antioxidants are one of the body’s defence mechanisms – protection against life’s ‘stresses’.
There are thousands of different types of flavonoids and most foods have a mixture of them, sometimes a particular flavonoid may be predominant in one food, such as berry fruits are rich in anthocyanins.
Fruit (particularly citrus fruit), vegetables and juices are rich in flavonoids. These compounds are found in great abundance in all plant foods and are partially responsible for the colour, astringency and bitterness of foods and beverages.
Back to Top