Nutrition in Schools Advisory Service
Limit saturated fat and moderate total fat
intake
- low-fat diets
are not suitable for infants
The low fat message was widely promoted during the 1980’s
in an effort to reduce Australia’s rate of heart disease. While this message
was very important for middle age men, for children this message is not quite so
important. When teaching children about fat we need to make sure they gain a
clear understanding that fat is a necessary part of a healthy diet, it is all a
matter of balance and proportion.
Fat is required in the diet to provide:
- Energy - this is particularly important for young
children who are unlikely to be able to meet energy requirements if eating a
low fat diet.
- Essential Fatty Acids - fats found predominantly in
seeds and fish oils contain the essential fatty acids omega 3 and 6
polyunsaturated fatty acids, important for cell structure, membrane
function, and development of the central nervous system
- Precursors which aid in clotting blood
- Transport for the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K
- Improved taste, texture and palatability to the diet
Students need education about which fats are desirable to
include in the diet and which are not
Desirable Fats to be included in the diet:
- mono-unsaturated fats - eg. olive, canola, peanut
- poly-unsaturated fats eg. fish oils, sunflower,
safflower, corn, soya bean, nuts, seeds
- Plant oils also contain a wide range of phytochemicals
which give added health benefits.
Undesirable Fats should be limited and only included in
small amounts.
- Saturated Fats eg. butter, lard, palm, coconut, found
also in dairy foods, meats and chicken.
For more information Nutrition Australia recommends:
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