Co-op’s approach to health & wellbeing
Get in-depth information about Co-op’s approach to health & wellbeing and what it means for you.
Understanding fats
You might think that any type of fat is bad for you but it’s an essential part of a healthy balanced diet. The key is to only have a little and get the right kind. Below, we’ve got the advice you need.
Saturated fat
Saturated fat is found in butter, cakes, crisps, sweets, biscuits and pies. Reducing your consumption of saturated fat contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. It’s important to reduce your saturated fat intake as raised blood cholesterol levels can increase the risk of heart disease. Enjoy these foods as an occasional treat and keep portion sizes small.
Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats in the diet contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.
Unsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils, olive oil, oily fish, avocados, nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are great as a snack or scattered on breakfast cereal or salads.
Avocado is delicious thrown into a salad or with poached egg on toast. Try using reduced fat spreads such as those based on olive or sunflower oil.
Tips, Tricks & Hacks
You can reduce your saturated fat intake in many ways such as:
- Use leaner mince
- Trim fat from meat
- Grill, poach or steam rather than frying or roasting
- Swap cheese based sauces with tomato or vegetable based sauces
- Limit the amount of oil you use in cooking
- Limit the amount of butter/spreads you use
- Try reduced fat products such as mayonnaise, coleslaw etc
- Compare nutrition on product labels when shopping to find the healthier options
Check out our labelling page for more guidance.
