Dietary Fats

Get The Skinny On Fat

Fat is an essential nutrient to the human body and thus necessary for everyday consumption.

Fat has three main roles

1. Insulation: Half of the body's fat is found as a layer just beneath the skin's surface. The purpose of this fatty layer is to protect the body from external temperature changes, and to help maintain constant internal body temperature as well.
2. Protection: Fat cushions vital organs such as the kidneys and the reproductive system. It is also found in the pads of one's cheeks, palms of one's hands, and balls of one's feet.
3. Other: Fat is vital to the body because it helps carry fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) which are needed by the body. Dietary fat also supplies the body with essential fatty acids, which are needed for proper cell growth and development. In addition, fat plays a key role in the maintenance of cell membranes, production of hormones and cholesterol metabolism.

Fat You Eat

Fat can be divided into four different categories

• Monounsaturated Fat tends to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol without lowering HDL (good) cholesterol. It is recommended that up to 15% of one's total caloric intake come from this form of fat. It is mainly found in soft fats including olive and canola oil and foods such as soft margarines that contain these oils.
• Polyunsaturated Fat actively lowers one's cholesterol level. It is recommended that up to 10% of one's caloric intake come from this form of fat. It is mainly found in soft fats such as vegetable oils: safflower, sunflower, corn and soybean oils and foods such as soft margarines that contain these oils.
• Saturated Fat raises blood cholesterol levels and is often coined as "bad fat." It is mainly found in firm fats that come from animal sources: meat, butter, lard, milk, yogurt and cheese, and processed foods that contain shortening or partially hydrogenated oils.
• Trans Fatty Acids behave like a saturated fat. This fat is mainly found in processed foods that contain shortening or partially hydrogenated fats: (some but not all) margarines, cookies, crackers, french fries and potato chips.