Fat Is Great

I grew up in the 80s, when the trend was low-fat, high-carb. I can remember going grocery shopping and picking out prepackaged, sugary cookies and cakes which proudly advertised themselves as "Fat Free!" and thinking I was the picture of healthy eating. Luckily, we have recovered from that trend a bit, but I think fat=bad is still the predominant thinking in our culture.

1. Body fat is not the same thing as dietary fat. Eating fat does not necessarily make you fat. Eating too many calories makes you fat, because your body stores the excess energy that it cannot use immediately. Your body is very efficient at storing excess carbohydrates and sugar as fat.

2. Your entire body needs sufficient amounts of fat to function properly. You need fat for skin health and eye health and brain health. Fat is necessary in order for your body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. You need fat.

3. All fats are not created equal. By now, hopefully you know trans-fats are bad. Really bad. They are human-made, unnatural, artery-clogging, carcinogenic, awful little devils. Trans-fats are present in the form of partially hydrogenated oils, which can be found in packaged baked goods, fast food (some fast food chains cook their foods in giant fryers filled with trans-fats), some margarines, and microwave popcorn. Saturated fats are not as bad as trans-fats, but should be limited. Saturated fat is found predominately in animal foods, and should make up no more than 7% of your total fat intake.

4. Unsaturated fat is good for your health, and you should eat more of it. Of course, your total caloric intake should not be too high, but the health benefits of unsaturated fats are very important. Unsaturated fats can be found in most plant oils, like canola oil, olive oil, avocados, and nut oils. In addition, seafood is an important source of Omega-3 fatty acid which is essential for heart and cardiovascular health, as well as brain and eye development.

In order to avoid bad fats and get enough good fats, the general rules are to eat many plant foods and nuts, lean meats, and seafood. Avoid red meats and fatty animal products like butter and cheese. And most importantly, avoid packaged foods whenever possible. Even if a product says No Trans Fat, it can legally contain up to half a gram of trans fat per serving. That can really add up (the maximum recommended amount for adults is only 2 grams).

Enjoy your healthy eating, friends!