What are the key concerns surrounding saturated versus monounsaturated versus polyunsaturated fats?
Saturated fats are BAD. They lead to heart disease, come primarily from animal and dairy products (and hydrogenated fats) and most Americans consume too much. Polyunsaturated fats are a little more complicated. They come in different forms, some of which we eat too much of (omega-6 from many vegetable oils) and are thought to have negative effects, and others we eat too little of (omega-3’s) and are thought to have health benefits. They can also cause problems with processing and storage because they are sensitive to oxidation. Monounsaturated fats, a little like Goldilock’s porridge, might be considered “just right.” There is abundant evidence that diets where there is a higher proportion of monounsaturated fats (i.e. olive oil in the Medditeranena Diet) have lower heart disease. Hearts&Minds Peanut Butter with Olive Oil and Omega-3(EPA/DHA) uses olive oil and special peanuts naturally high in monounsaturated fats to maximize the proportion of the “good” fat.
