The link between what we eat and our mental wellbeing is of particular interest to the 20 per cent of Britons who report high levels of anxiety. And it’s welcome news that, in a new study published by the University of Colorado, researchers suggest that we might be able to improve our anxiety levels with simple changes to our diet.
In the study, rats were fed on saturated fat mainly from animal sources, which contain certain fatty acids that are known to lead to inflammation. Researchers found that those fed on this diet high in saturated fats (SFAs) displayed behaviours that are consistent with anxiety.
The study’s lead Prof Christopher Lowry says the same is true for humans – and it comes down to our gut health. “The high-fat Western-style diet rapidly alters the composition of the gut microbiome,” he says. This includes decreased diversity in the microbiome, which leads to “leaky gut”, a condition in which the gut lining becomes more permeable. Harmful microbes can then enter the bloodstream and cause inflammation in both the body and brain, resulting in anxiety-like behaviour.
Not all fats are bad for us, though, and a few simple food swaps can help us to redress the balance in our diet. Healthier monounsaturated fats like those found in olive oil and avocados, and polyunsaturated fats contained in fish, nuts and seeds, can actually be anti-inflammatory and good for the brain.
So for better mood and general health, it’s a good idea to reduce saturated animal fat from sources such as red and processed meat, butter, lard and ghee in your diet. Here are some easy tweaks and swaps you can make.
How to cut back on saturated fats
Choose leaner meat
Meat is typically our main source of saturated animal fat. A quick win is to remove any visible fat, such as skin or fatty rind, and choose leaner cuts of meat. For example, a chicken breast with the skin on has 2.4g sat fat/100g and without the skin, just 0.7g. Similarly, mince at 20 per cent fat contains 8.5g sat fat/100g and 5 per cent-fat mince has 2.1g/100g.
Top tip
One of my favourite lean cuts of meat is pork fillet. It’s tender and juicy, roasts in just 25-30 minutes in the oven and has only 2.3g saturated fat per 100g. Or, try swapping out beef mince for turkey breast mince in meatballs or chilli. It contains just 0.7g saturated fat per 100g.
Swap meat for plant proteins
The Western diet is skewed in favour of protein from animal sources, which usually means it comes with a large side-order of saturated fat. By eating more plant-based sources of protein – from soy (tofu, edamame), whole grains (oats, quinoa, brown rice) and legumes (lentils, peas, beans) – we don’t just reduce our sat fat intake: research from The National Cancer Institute in the United States found that replacing 3 per cent of animal protein with plant-based protein lowered the risk of premature death by 10 per cent.
Top tip
If you’re making bolognese, halve the amount of mince (use 250g 5 per cent mince instead of 500g) and replace with a drained 400g tin of lentils. You’ll save 5g of saturated fat and add 12g of gut-friendly fibre.
Switch over to olive oil
Butter, ghee and lard are high in saturated fats and in most cases, olive oil can be used in their place. There’s a myth that olive oil is only suitable for use at room temperature, being a low smoke point oil, but this is not the case. Olive oil is stable up to 210C which covers most cooking temperatures, including roasting and frying.
Top tip
Make your own olive oil spread to use in place of butter. Pour some good quality olive oil into a small airtight container and pop in the freezer overnight. In the morning, move the container to the fridge and it will soften to a spreadable consistency. Return to the fridge soon after use as it will liquify again at room temperature.
Counteract saturated fat with healthier fat
Research shows that healthier fats can mitigate some of the inflammatory effects of saturated fat. So, adding some monounsaturated fats to your meals – those found in olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds – is a great way to offset any health downsides of the saturated fat it contains.
Top tip
Swap out the cheese in a cheeseburger for a few slices of avocado. Toasted mixed seeds can be sprinkled over most meals to add crunchy texture and more healthy fat, and olive oil can be drizzled over grilled or roasted meat.
Look at labels
By choosing food products with lower saturated fat you can effectively slash your intake. NHS guidelines recommend that men eat no more than 30g, and women 20g, of saturated fat per day. All food labels by law have to state the amount of saturated fat they contain and are categorised as high fat (>5g/100g), medium fat (1.5g-5g/100g) and low fat (<0.5g/100g).
Top tip
For example, the standard Waitrose lasagne ready meal for one contains 3.1g sat fat per 100g or 11.9 g per pack, whereas the roasted vegetable lasagne has just 1.6g per 100g or 6.3g per pack.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
