The skinny on fats

There are two kinds of fats:  unsaturated and saturated.  Fats are essential to your diet.  They help lube the system and aid in the absorption of essential vitamins and minerals.  They are also a steady source of energy.  One gram of fat is worth 9 calories.  It is recommended that you consume 20%-35% of your total daily calories from fats.

 

However, there are good fats and bad fats.  The good fats are the unsaturated fats.  These include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.  The unsaturated fats can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.  Good sources are fatty fish, flaxseed, walnuts, olives, avocados, hazelnuts, almonds, vegetable oil, and olive oil.

 

The bad fats are saturated and trans fatty acids.  These can raise cholesterol, clog arteries, and raise the risk of heart disease.  It is recommended that you keep your saturated and trans fatty acids consumption under 10% of your daily calories.  Sources of these fats are animal products (stick with lean meats), coconut oil, palm oil, lard, and butter.

 

The take-away is to keep fats at a minimum and to avoid fatty meats, whole milks, and lunch meat.  It is better to get your good fats, like omega-3, from food sources, so plan on snacking on nuts, adding avocados to salads, and eating low-fat foods.  Of course, always read your nutritional labels to keep track of fats, sodium, etc.