What is it and do I need it?
It is well documented that fats are an important component of a healthy diet, however with extensive variation between them, not all fats are created equal. Whilst a high intake of saturated fatty acids is associated with numerous health implications such as cardiovascular disease, ‘healthy fats’ such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), specifically omega 6 and omega 3, are recommended within the national dietary guidelines. Numerous studies have demonstrated that when saturated fat is replaced with PUFAs in the diet, health benefits such as reduced progression of atherosclerosis are observed. PUFAs are also a key component of one of the most extensively studied diets, the Mediterranean diet, with evidence showing risk reduction properties in terms of cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, depression, colorectal cancer, diabetes, obesity, asthma, erectile dysfunction, and cognitive decline. Notably the cardioprotective elements of the Mediterranean diet are thought to be legumes, olive oil, vegetables, nuts, and fruit. Furthermore, fats are also key for the absorption and therefore prevention of deficiency of the ‘fat soluble’ vitamins, such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.