Mediterranean Diet Fats: The 3 You Should Be Eating

Fat has been painted by the diet industry as the thing in food that makes us fat for decades, and that bad reputation still lingers today. When you think of fatty foods, you probably picture greasy pizza or deep-fried fast foods. No doubt, those examples are pretty terrible for our health, but the full story on fat is missing from this image.

Fatty foods also include anti-inflammatory olive oil, brain health-supporting fatty fish, fiber-filled nuts and seeds, and several other foods that are extremely nutritious.

Fat is actually an essential part of a healthy balanced diet, but the source, quality, and amount matter. Few diets have the scientific support the famous Mediterranean Diet does, and this particular way of eating is an excellent example of how to incorporate healthy fats for optimal health.

Let’s delve into the 3 types of fats you should be eating on the Mediterranean Diet, and which ones you should avoid.

Understanding The Different Types of Fat

Fat is one of the 3 macronutrients that allow us to derive energy from food, along with carbohydrates and protein. It’s the most energy-dense of the 3 macronutrients which means just a small amount of fat contains a considerable amount of calories.

However, calories aren’t inherently bad! Quite the opposite. We need calories for our bodies to function properly and to fuel our activities. Fat can be a great source of energy, it helps us absorb nutrients, it supports basic cellular functions, and it can be great for hormonal health and brain health.

There are 4 types of dietary fat, and they all have varying effects on our physiology and health. The 4 types are: trans fats, saturated fats, and the two types of unsaturated fats polyunsaturated and monounsaturated.

Trans Fat

Trans fats are a type of fat generally found in highly processed foods like margarine/shortening, commercially baked goods, fried foods, and microwave popcorn. They also occur naturally in trace amounts in specific types of meat and dairy products. They’re harmful to health and offer no benefits, so minimizing them as much as possible or even eliminating them from your diet is the best way to stick to a Mediterranean style of eating.

Saturated Fat

Saturated fats are a more nuanced topic than trans fats. They’re mostly found in animal foods like red meat, butter, and cheese, although certain plant foods like coconuts and palm oil also contain a hefty dose. The common recommendation from medical experts is to consume saturated fats in moderation since they’re linked to elevated LDL cholesterol levels which is a risk factor for heart disease.

The Mediterranean Diet adheres to this principle well since it only contains a modest amount of red meats and high-fat dairy. That being said, saturated fat-containing foods don’t necessarily need to be eliminated completely in the way trans fats should be since they often contain other beneficial nutrients. There’s also been some recent debate questioning if the topic of saturated fat has been oversimplified, and if certain kinds may actually contain some benefits.

Unsaturated Fat

The category of unsaturated fat contains both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. They’ve both been proven to have many health benefits and are eaten in abundance on the Mediterranean Diet.

Unsaturated fats can be found in avocados, olives, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, and many types of oil. There are several different types of unsaturated fats, but two of the most noteworthy are omega 3s and omega 6s.

Omega 3 fats are essential to heart, brain, and metabolic health, but unfortunately, the Standard American Diet (SAD) is notoriously low in these healthy compounds. Omega 6s are also another essential type of fat which means your body needs them to function and they must be consumed through diet. Thankfully, omega 6s are much easier to come by.

Although unsaturated fats are excellent for your health, they’re often more susceptible to oxidizing than saturated fats through heat and/or light exposure. This can make the flavor taste off and create inflammatory free radicals. Choosing high-quality unsaturated fat sources and using them for their correct purpose is a great way to avoid this misstep.

The Mediterranean Diet is rich in healthy fats, but it’s particular about what kinds and in what form. It steers clear of trans fats found in highly processed foods and limits saturated fat by only occasionally consuming red meat and high-fat dairy.

Instead, the Mediterranean Diet leans heavily on plant-based types of fat and includes plenty of unprocessed whole food sources. You’ll see plenty of avocados and olives, which are great sources of monounsaturated fats, as well as nuts and seeds which are great sources of polyunsaturated fats. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and herring are some of the main protein sources on the Mediterranean Diet, and they’re perhaps the best dietary source of anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids.

Olive oil is also used generously in dips, spreads, salads, or drizzled over pizzas, bread, soup, pasta, and more. It contains polyphenolic compounds which have protective effects for heart health and against neurodegenerative diseases. Olive oil should represent 80% of the fat used in the Mediterranean Diet when selecting a fat for cooking.

Alternatives to Olive Oil

For high-temp cooking, the Mediterranean Diet often opts for avocado oil or grapeseed oil thanks to their high smoke points. This means despite being rich in unsaturated fats, their chemical structure makes them more resilient against oxidizing and creating harmful compounds. They also both have a neutral taste and a liquid consistency at room temperature, which makes them easy to work with.

Practical Tips

The topic of dietary fat is complex and sometimes difficult to put into practice, but here are a few simple ways to improve the types of fat in your diet based on Mediterranean Diet principles:

  • Choose olive oil as a dip for bread instead of butter
  • Select lean protein sources like poultry or legumes over red meats most of the time
  • Enjoy nuts and seeds regularly
  • Consume fatty fish every week
  • Try making dressings, dips, and sauces from scratch using olive oil, avocados, nuts, or seeds as a base
  • Cook with grapeseed oil or avocado oil when possible
  • Avoid highly processed packaged foods or fast food.

Conclusion

Overall, the main principle of the Mediterranean Diet is to move away from dietary extremism and towards balance. Ideally, you should regularly eat healthy fats, gravitate towards whole food ingredients, and most importantly: enjoy your food and lifestyle!

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