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There are many myths surrounding dietary fat – some are good and some are bad.

In general many believe that eating fat is bad for you. While it’s true that an excess of anything (be it fat, alcohol, take-away, even exercise) can be bad for you, eating fat is not always a bad thing. In fact, a certain amount of fat is necessary to keep your body healthy.

Saturated fat is bad for you
If you ask most people they will tell you that saturated fat is bad for you, that it causes heart disease and cancer and increases your cholesterol levels.

While this is true to some degree, saturated fats alone are not the sole cause of these problems.

In years gone by we ate a lot of saturated fats (think bread and dripping) – roasts and other meats with hunks of fat, bacon and eggs for breakfast, cakes and biscuits made with butter, eggs and whole milk, butter or dripping on everything.

Yet, compared to today, our grandparents were healthier. Back then, wholefoods were the order of the day, as was regular exercise gained housework, manual labour and walking to your destination.

Although eating too much saturated fat can raise your cholesterol levels or contribute to heart disease, it’s more likely to be a problem for those who also consume a lot of take-away food, drink too much alcohol, avoid exercise and smoke.

If you follow a diet that is rich in healthy, wholefoods with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, wholegrains and good quality meats, combined with regular/daily exercise and moderate amounts of alcohol, then it’s safe to eat foods high in saturated fat providing they are natural (eg. whole milk, eggs, butter, meats and poultry).

Cholesterol causes heart disease
This is a popular myth that has been circulating for over 30 years. It’s one of the primary reasons for the creation of low fat diets in the 1970s.

It’s true that cholesterol can increase the build up of plaque in your arteries. However, high cholesterol levels are often the result of an over-production of cholesterol by the liver rather than eating too much saturated fat.

Many are unaware that the body makes cholesterol in the liver and will match what you eat. Also, those with high cholesterol levels often (there are some exceptions to the rule) lead lifestyles that contribute to higher cholesterol levels – ie. they’re inactive, eat excessive amounts of highly processed foods and drink too much alcohol.

If you’re leading a healthy lifestyle – regularly exercise and a diet high in fibre, healthy fats, wholegrains, fruits, vegetables and lean meats – then it’s unlikely you’ll develop heart disease (unless it runs in your family).

Dietary fats make you fat
Fat itself is not a bad thing. In fact, fat contains fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and helps to protect your internal organs, lubricate your joints and keep your skin supple.

Although it’s easier for the body to convert excess fat to body fat, your total daily calories  are more likely to be the cause of excess weight then the amount of fat you eat.

Everyone needs a certain amount of calories each day to maintain their current weight. To lose weight you need to eat less/exercise more to create a calorie deficit each day. However, if you go over your required daily calories on a regular/daily basis, then you will gain weight regardless of whether the excess calories came from fat, carbohydrates or protein.

Fat myths are just that – myths.

While there’s always some truth to a myth, it’s important to remember that dietary fat (including saturated fat) is beneficial to your health. Rather than worrying about the amount of fat you eat, focus on eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly instead.

Written by Andrew Talati

A mystery public vegetable garden has just appeared in our local park, Edinburgh Gardens.

The timber planter boxes seem to be made from recycled pallets. What a great idea!

Inside the veggie box are a mixture of tomatoes, spinach, beetroot, corn, lettuce and even strawberries. They’re all looking mighty healthy. It’s a great example of how a vegetable patch can still flourish in an asphalt and dirt environment.

Sadly, it’s only a matter of time before the City of Yarra removes the guerilla planter boxes. The council requires that such projects go through the usual administrative channels to determine a suitable location in the public space.

Well, as a City of Yarra ratepayer, I’m more than happy to have this left for the community to enjoy.   North Fitzroy is littered with Victorian worker’s cottages, and most have very limited space to create a working veggie garden.

Perhaps this might inspire council to create a community space for projects just like these – and then they could be enjoyed by all the local residents.

Such public gardens have already been successful at CERES environmental park and  the Collingwood Children’s farm – but we could always do with more.

And, by the way, if you’re looking to create your own veggie garden at home, Sustainable Gardening Australia have a great handbook.

Written by Andrew Talati

With so many fantastic benefits of olive oil, we often get confused by the different terminologies on the packaging such as extra virgin olive oil.
The attractiveness of extra virgin olive oil is it’s fresh, crisp, clean, fruity taste which leads the consumer needing to be familiar with this level of quality as the labeling may be misleading.

While in Australia the regulation of the terminology isn’t as stringent as Europe, there are certain voluntary guidelines that stipulate what constitutes extra-virgin olive oil. However it is up to the integrity of the producer as to whether their product meets the guidelines as it’s caveat emptor or buyer beware. This was highlighted by choice Magazine in June 2010 that found that half the olive oil’s on tests didn’t meet the International Olive Oil Council standard.

What constitutes Virgin Olive Oil
The main standard is based on the acidity level being less than 0.8 – 1% and other chemical and sensory/taste based criteria. This becomes extremely technical with minimum defect tolerances based on certain criteria from the International Olive Council (IOC).

The Attributes by the Internal Olive Council:
1.Fruity – Based on the freshness of the olives and is tested by scent
2.Bitter – Usual from unripe olives and is tested by taste by the furry feeling on the back of the tongue.
3.Pungent – Again from tasting and is felt in the back of the throat
4.Fusty – This is through taste and occurs when the olives are left unprocessed for a length of time and produce oleic acid and isoamyl alcohol formed from the commencement of the fermentation process.
5.Musty – This is the result of fungi that has developed from the fruit being stored in humid conditions for several days.
6.Muddy sediment – Again the flavor of oil that has been left in contact with the sediment in tanks and vats.
7.Winey-Vinegary – Like the taste of vinegar that forms due to the commencement of the fermentation process that produces acetic acid, ethyl acetate, and ethanol.
8.Rancid – This is from exposure to oxygen or UV light and produces, acids, alcohols and Fermenting tank sediments that can cause the muddy sediment effect
9.Heated or Burnt – caused by excessive and/or prolonged heating during processing.

The California Standards for Olive oil even go further and take a more scientific approach by breaking down even the Pomace levels and sterol composition.

The Australian Olive Oil Association which is similar to the Organic Certification bodies also has laboratory testing based and an Organoleptic Assessment by 3 people.

The chemical composition must meet the following:
• free fatty acid contents, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams
• a peroxide value less than 20 (mEq. peroxide oxygen per kg of oil)
• not exceed the following extinction coefficients for ultra-violet absorbency tests:
270 nm no greater than 0.22
ΔK no greater than 0.01
232 nm no greater than 2.5
• similar organoleptically testing to the International Olive Council (IOC) based on being fusty, muddy, musty, rancid or winey

There is a move for Food Standards Australia to adopt a standard for the labeling of olive oil which will cover definitions regarding the various terminologies used and information regarding use by dates and production dates to be inform the consumer.

Like wine or even coffee there are many variables that ultimately go to produce a high-quality product that leads to bitterness or sweetness and the different aromas which is no different to the production and processing of olive oil. While the green olives tend to the more bitter and peppery the black varieties are sweeter and moire fruity in flavour.

Ideally the olive should be pressed within 24 hours from being picked to stop deterioration and the fermentation process taking place. During the pressing process the olives should undergo a cold pressing process whereby the olives are not heated excessively.

Many oils on the market that are labeled light are usually highly refined and are heated which changes the chemical structure of the oil. These oils are usually bland with not much flavour, colour or taste and can lead to the consumer thinking they are light in fat.

At the worse end of the olive oil market is Pomice olive oil that users chemicals to extra the dredges of oil from the waste product from the initial pressing process.

Unfortunately until Food Standards Australia and New Zealand introduce labeling standards, it’s best to purchase your extra virgin olive oil from a reputable brand and avoid the cheap and nasty varieties on the market.

It’s no wonder obesity rates are exploding with lots of take away food places only offering up-front highly processed, fatty, salty deep-fried food which requires minimal preparation and can be kept in a bain-marie for hours. So, how do we make healthier take away breakfast choices and create healthier options when there’s not much to choose from?

Depending on the place you’re eating at, you can often get something palatable and healthier for you, all you have to do is ask. So, if you’re in a situation where finding a healthy breakfast seems like mission impossible, don’t give up, if you’re committed there are solutions.

Try asking for avocado, grilled tomato and a piece of toast – foods even the greasiest of greasy spoons always have – this may not be the ultimate in breakfasts, but it is still reasonably healthy for you. With a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats this is guaranteed to please the most ardent eater while avoiding deep frying or consuming processed foods.

There are also plenty of options when it comes to having eggs, poached are the healthiest as this avoids frying in butter or oil.

Finally, you don’t necessarily need to head to the large branded fast food franchises for breakfast, rather than put yourself in a situation of not having any healthy breakfast options, try going to your local take away shop or café and you’ll be surprised with what is available

It’s great to see parents encouraging their children to develop healthy eating habits by growing their own fruit and vegetables.

While at a friends dinner party, we started talking about nutrition and the current crisis confronting our youngest generation with increased rates of childhood obesity and diabetes. At their local primary school, one of the parents created a blog that documented the transformation of their inner suburban backyard into a thriving vegetable patch.

The great thing about creating this awareness for children from a young age is not the quality time spent with their children but the association and connection between freshly grown produce through to the preparation and consumption of this yummy food.

Oscars Little garden

Oscar’s little garden shows no matter how small your backyard there is ample opportunities to help educate your kids in growing their own fruit and vegetables. With Oscars little garden, he could see the development of the vegetables; carrots, spinach, garlic and beetroot from a tiny seed to sprouting life.

Like any habit in life, the more senses that are touched and stimulated during a particular process leads to greater engagement and the creation of neurological pathways that are set for life. Just as we can develop poor eating habits from an early age we can also create lifelong healthy eating patterns that shape the way we think and appreciate food.

With Oscar, he was able to experience the many senses involved in the growing and harvesting of his fruit and vegetables from the feeling of the dirt in his hands, planting the seeds, the smell of the garden, the emotion felt of seeing the living plant growing, through to the taste and sight of the harvest.

A big advocate and pioneer in moving this concept to the school yard is Stephanie Alexander who has helped 180 schools with educating children about growing their own vegetables which has had wonderful results.

While modern life may be running at a crazy pace, this is great opportunity to take an active role in helping the children develop healthy eating habits for life.