Are You Drowning in Corn Oil?

Find out why too much of this kind of unsaturated fat can put you at risk.

Have you pushed aside the butter dish and switched to the tubs of trans-fat-free margarine? Have you kicked lard to the curb, choosing now to brown, saute, and bake with corn or vegetable oil? Many of us are resting easy in the knowledge that as long as we eat mostly the good kinds of fat -- meaning unsaturated fats -- our hearts are probably in the clear, right?

Not so. Merely switching to unsaturated fats is not the only key to healthful fat consumption. The latest research shows that if you're not paying attention to the kinds of unsaturated fats you choose or to how much you get of certain kinds of unsaturated fats in comparison to others, you may be leaving the door wide open to health hazards on par with killers like heart disease.

The old facts on fats

Some things haven't changed. As with other foods, if you are eating too much fat, regardless of the kind, and are not expending a similar number of calories, you're risking weight problems and all of the related health complications.

But there are many good things fat can do for you. Dietary fat is a necessary part of maintaining energy levels, and it provides the body with essential fatty acids that it cannot produce on its own. Dietary fats aid in nutrient absorption, make foods more palatable, and help you feel sated. They also assist the body in the production of substances that are essential for immune function, tissue repair, and prostaglandin production.

Fat is still part of a healthful diet, so it's important to know what kind of fat you are eating and to stick with mostly unsaturated fats.

Quick refresher: Do you know where to find unsaturated fats? Answer this question to find out.

Q: You are having a bagel for breakfast. Which kind of spread contains mostly unsaturated fats?

1. peanut butter
2. butter
3. cream cheese
4. none of the above

A: The correct answer is: "peanut butter." Of the above choices, peanut butter is the only spread that is not high in saturated fats. Peanut butter is rich in unsaturated fat. But do you know which kind of unsaturated fat peanut butter mostly contains? Or whether it's better for you than other kinds of unsaturated fats? Answer the next question to learn more . . .

Q: You are whipping up an omelet for your family with toast on the side. You're using eggs from flaxseed-fed chickens, trans fat-free margarine in the frying pan, and peanut butter on the toast. Which of those foods is richest in a type of unsaturated fat known as omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids?

1. the margarine
2. the peanut butter
3. the eggs in the omelet

A: The correct answer is: the margarine. Just like peanut butter, margarine contains mostly unsaturated fat. However, margarine is the only item in this list that tends to be very high in omega-6 fattty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat.

Eggs contain mostly saturated and monounsaturated fats, as well as a bit of polyunsaturated fat, but far less in comparison to margarine.

Why should I pay attention to omega-6?

Unfortunately, research suggests that most people are getting far too much omega-6 in their diets and far too little of another type of polyunsaturated fat called omega-3. And, although omega-6 is a healthful fat, getting too much omega-6 without enough omega-3 to balance it out appears to promote a variety of health ills, including insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, inflammatory processes, and the kind of cell-damaging oxidation that's associated with aging and damage to cells and DNA. All of this could eventually open the door to serious conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Scientists estimate that our ancestor's dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was probably something close to 1/1 or 1/2. Today, the ratio in the typical Western diet is estimated to be anywhere from 20/1 to 30/1. This means that, even if a person is eating a relatively low-fat diet, he or she is probably getting a disproportionately high amount of omega-6 compared to other healthful fats.

Where can you get more omega-3s? Read on . . .

Best bests for omega-3s

Q: You're looking to add a dose of healthy omega-3 fats to your diet today. What should you do?

1. dress your salad with a dressing made with olive oil
2. snack on a serving of popcorn popped in safflower oil
3. have a serving of wild salmon at lunch or dinner

A: The correct answer is: have a serving of wild salmon at lunch or dinner. Oily fish from cold-water climates, such as salmon, are typically good sources of omega-3 fats. (Safflower oil is rich in omega-6 fats; olive oil is an excellent source of monounsaturated fats that also fight disease but contains no omega-3 fats.)

Keep in mind, however, that omega-3 levels can vary greatly in fish depending upon where it came from. It's often difficult to know exactly how much omega-3 fats fish contain, regardless of whether it's wild or farmed. Check the chart at right to see which fish provides your best chance of a healthy dose of omega-3s. Also, before you choose your fish, find out the typical methylmercury levels for various fish with this set of tables from the FDA. If you don't eat fish, a backup plan for getting your omega-3s is to take fish oil supplements. As a good starting point, some experts recommend 500 milligrams per day from a supplement containing EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) -- two important forms of omega-3. (Ultimately, fish oil supplement intake should not exceed 2 grams per day.)