Get your daily dose of complex carbs and healthy fats all at once with these nutritious sweet potato and sardine-stuffed avocados. For a more budget-friendly option, swap the sardines with tinned pilchards.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
1 sweet potato, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp garlic powder
4 tsp lime juice
3 avocados, halved and pitted
1 tin sardines, deboned and flaked
12 baby tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp sunflower seeds, toasted
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
½ wheel feta, crumbled
⅓  cup coriander

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
2. Spread the sweet potato out on a roasting tray and toss with the olive oil, cumin, garlic powder and half of the lime juice.
3. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until soft.
4. Brush the avos with some of the lime juice and fill with sweet potato, flaked sardines and baby tomatoes.
5. Sprinkle with the seeds, feta, leftover lime juice and coriander.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Jotham van Tonder // HMimages.co.za

Sweet potato rösti with yoghurt and creamy tuna is another great healthy combo if you’re looking for a snack that will keep you going throughout the day.

The post Sweet potato and sardine-stuffed avocados appeared first on MyKitchen.

For years, we’ve been told fat is the enemy. Now, high-fat, low-carb diets have put it at the top of our shopping lists. So what’s the real skinny on fats?

By Glynis Horning

All fats are not made equal. They may share a similar chemical structure (a chain of carbon atoms linked to hydrogen atoms), but the length and shape of the carbon chain and number of hydrogen atoms vary, forming numerous types of fat. While some are harmful long-term, others are vital for our bodies to function well.

We need fat in our diets for energy, for the absorption of certain fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and minerals, for building membranes around our cells and sheaths around our nerves, for tasks such as muscle movement and blood clotting, fighting inflammation, maintaining healthy skin and good eyesight, and helping to develop the brains of babies and children.

Our bodies can make some of their own fat by using excess calories of any kind, explains Gabriel Eksteen, a registered dietitian at Heart and Stroke Foundation SA. But they are unable to make essential fatty acids – linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid – which are both essential for health and must be included in your diet.

BAD FATS – Trans fats   

These are the most unhealthy form of dietary fat. Trans fat occurs naturally in meat and dairy products in small quantities, but the ones considered dangerous are the artificial trans fats made by ‘partial hydrogenation’, which means industrially processing vegetable oils into solids to stop them from going rancid.

Why are they bad? Trans fats increase your ‘bad’ cholesterol carriers (LDL), which can clog blood vessels, and decrease your ‘good’ cholesterol carriers (HDL), which help transport cholesterol and fat to the liver, says Gabriel. ‘Trans fats are also pro-inflammatory and promote blood vessel wall dysfunction and insulin resistance.’

Found in: Commercially baked goods (such as biscuits, cakes, muffins, pizza dough, burger buns and pie crust), packaged snacks (chips, sweets, crackers, microwave popcorn), solid fats (margarine and animal lard), fried foods (French fries, fried chicken and nuggets, breaded fish, hard taco shells), ready mixed products (such as cake and pancake mix, chocolate milk), and anything that lists ‘partially hydrogenated’ in its ingredients.

Action: Avoid them as much as possible – trans fats are not healthy in any quantity, says registered dietitian Lila Bruk, who is also the spokeswoman for the Association for Dietetics in SA (Adsa).

GOOD FATS – Unsaturated fats 

There are two kinds: monounsaturated (with a single carbon-to-carbon double bond), and polyunsaturated (with two or more double bonds in their carbon chain). High proportions are mainly from vegetable sources and are liquid at room temperature.

Why are they good?  When they replace saturated fats or refined carbohydrates, they can raise your good blood cholesterol, which cuts your chance of developing heart disease, and improves your insulin and blood sugar levels. Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, ALA and DHA), a common type of polyunsaturated fat, are vital for cognitive function and emotional health, and have been linked to reducing the symptoms of depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder and dementia, as well as stroke, heart disease, some cancers, arthritis and inflammatory skin conditions, though more clinical studies are needed.

Found in: Monounsaturated fats are found in avocados, olives, raw nuts (almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, macadamias, peanuts), and their oils. Polyunsaturated fats are in walnuts, seeds (flax, sesame, sunflower, canola, pumpkin) and their oils, fatty fish (salmon, tuna, sardines), soy milk and tofu. The best sources of omega-3s are fatty fish (pilchards, salmon, mackerel and sardines), and for vegetarians, flaxseed and walnuts.

Action: Eat unsaturated fat as part of a healthy diet, says Gabriel. Aim for two servings of fatty fish a week, or a small handful of walnuts or flaxseed daily (preferably ground in a coffee grinder to aid absorption and sprinkled over cereal).Enjoy a wedge of avo, handful of olives and dash of olive oil on salad or veggies daily, says Lila.

IN-BETWEEN FATS – Saturated fats 

These come from animal sources, and are solid at room temperature.

Why are they ‘In-between’? Saturated fat can raise total blood cholesterol levels and LDL (bad) cholesterol, which can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The advocates of high fat, low-carb diets argue that cholesterol will stick only to artery walls damaged by inflammation, and that it’s processed carbohydrates, in particular sugar, that cause inflammation. They point to a 2014 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggesting people with diets that are high in saturated fat do not suffer higher rates of cardiovascular disease; and to a 2013 meta-analysis of 16 studies in the European Journal of Nutrition showing whole-milk dairy is associated with less body fat.

On the other hand, many studies show that reducing saturated fat and replacing it with unsaturated fat (not refined carbs) can reduce the risk of heart disease. ‘Evidence of this is seen in Mediterranean diets,’ says Gabriel.

Found in: Red meat, chicken, full-fat dairy products, tropical oils (coconut and palm oil, as well as cocoa butter) and lard, and in some processed foods.

Action: High-fat, low-carb proponents advise no more than 80–90g of meat or fish at any meal. Adsa suggests limiting red meat to a lean piece the size of your palm, grilled, steamed or baked, and beans or soya, skinless chicken or fish at other meals. Enjoy a glass of milk or a small bowl of yoghurt a day, and avoid processed food, Lila says.

The post The big fats debate appeared first on MyKitchen.

It’s Monday morning and a fresh salad sounds like the perfect antidote to the past weekend’s many indulgences. Fast-forward to Wednesday evening; the mid-week slump has you in its grips and all you are craving is a good hunk of cheese or a greasy burger (extra bacon, please). Despite what you’ve been made to believe, it’s not a bad thing for your body to crave fatty foods; fat forms part of the three integral macronutrients your body requires to function at its optimal level. Thanks to Dr Tim Noakes, many advocates of strictly low-fat diets have come to see the light. We take a look at how avoiding fat in your diet, may lead to serious health consequences, beyond your waistline.

By Jana du Plessis

Fat focus

Fat contains more calories per gram than carbohydrates or proteins. Fat weighs in at around 9 calories per gram, while protein and carbs tie at around 4 calories per gram. Despite the higher calorie content, we should still make adequate space for fat in our diet. Most people are afraid of fat, having been convinced that fat is to blame for weight-gain. If you’re trying to drop a dress size or lose a little extra weight for summer, we suggest health should be your number one priority. If you’re eating balanced meals regularly, healthy weight-loss will naturally follow. Fat is absolutely essential to our basic bodily functions, and by skipping out on such a valuable macronutrient, we may not be giving our bodies all they require to function and thrive.

Fat Facts

Fats are crucial to encouraging the development and health of our cells. All the important messages that our cells send to our nervous system, are delivered with the help of fat. Our hormones are also regulated by fat cells, making it especially vital for women to consume enough fat for a healthy, happy and functioning body. Fat include provides insulation to our vital organs and enables our bodies to absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E and K. Ultimately, fat is important! It has been shunned as the dreaded cause of our expanding bellies, but fat – in moderation – allows for a whole bunch of healthy mechanisms to work well within our bodies.

Fat friends

As important as fat is to include into our diets, the type of fat also matters. Try to avoid hydrogenated or trans fats; these have undergone extreme chemical processes, making them potentially harmful to our bodies. These bad fats are most commonly found in processed foods, fried foods, pre-made baked goods and margarine. Rather opt for unsaturated fats and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids; these are found in olives, avocados, plant-oils, oily fish, nuts and seeds. High cholesterol-sufferers should first consult with their physician on the types of fats they should include in their diets.

What are your thoughts on including more healthy fats in your diet? We’d love to hear your comments!

The post Why going low-fat isn’t always a good idea appeared first on MyKitchen.