If you have a risk factor for diabetes, you're probably watching your sugar intake. Maybe you're also watching the type of carbohydrates you consume. But are you watching what kind of fats you're eating?
Not All Fats Are Equal
Recent data suggests that trans fats significantly increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. Trans fats are found in partially hydrogenated foods, such as margarine and shortening. When you read the ingredients, you'll discover them in microwave popcorn, pastries, crackers and other snack foods, and fast foods.
Researchers from Harvard School of Health examined the long-term relationship between different types of dietary fat and the risk of type 2 diabetes. More than 84,0000 women aged 34 through 59 were involved in the study. All were free of diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease at the start of the study. After 14 years, slightly more than 2,500 cases of type 2 diabetes were documented.
As they looked at the detailed dietary information that had been gathered periodically over the course of the study, the researchers concluded that trans fatty acids increased the risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 fats found in fish and flaxseed, pumpkin seed, canola, soy, and walnuts) appear to reduce the risk.
Choose Polyunsaturated Fats
The researchers concluded, "Substituting non-hydrogenated polyunsaturated fatty acids for trans fatty acids would likely reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes substantially."
In the Harvard report, eating saturated fats (found in animal-based foods such as butter or hamburger) or monounsaturated fats (found in nuts, fruits, vegetables, and some oils such as canola, olive, peanut, and almond) had no association on the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Other studies indicate that monounsaturated fats increase insulin sensitivity, as well as decrease glucose and insulin levels.
Making the Switch
To eliminate trans fats, you need to be aware of what foods have them. Food labels must now list trans fats.
- Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, canola oil, and nuts. Nonhydrogenated polyunsaturated fats are found in flax, corn, hemp, safflower, sesame, and sunflower oils. Nonhydrogenated fats are liquid at room temperature.
- Switching to healthy fats can be easy. If you don't like the taste, begin with by diluting the oil you normally use for cooking (for example, use a 1 to 4 ratio: a quarter cup of the new oil and a cup of your current oil). Gradually increase the amount of polyunsaturated oil until you've completely eliminated the other oil.
- At the table, drizzle some nonhydrogenated polyunsaturated oil over bread instead of spreading on margarine or butter (or you could use an alternative such as humus or almond butter).
- All fats contain calories. Increased fat intake is associated with obesity, which is a risk factor for a number of diseases, including diabetes. Limit your fat intake to no more than 35 percent of your diet; with no more than five percent of that being trans fats.
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