Fats

Fats and carbohydrates make up a healthy diet. The key is to not to overeat either one of these to the point that they are not healthy for you. Many people do not understand the role that fats and carbs play in our diet. While these should be limited, they are still important for a healthy lifestyle. The key is to make smart decisions when it comes to choosing which fats and oils you are going to eat. This means that you will want to substitute saturated fats with unsaturated fats. You want to cook with lighter oils when cooking.

Fats are essential for supplying the body with energy. Fats are essential so that fatty acids and aid in the transportation of fat-soluble vitamins around the body. These fat-soluble vitamins include:

 Vitamin A
 Vitamin D
 Vitamin E
 Vitamin K
 Carotenoids

Fats are also the building blocks for many tissues and membranes. They play many roles in regulating the various bodily functions.

Dietary fat is available in both plant and animal sources of food. Many nutrition experts recommend that the intake of fat should be kept to less than 20% of calories. Extreme low fat diets, however, are not safe and cause damage to the body.

The type of fat that you take in also makes a huge difference. A diet that is high in saturated fats, cholesterol and trans fats have been associated with numerous conditions including:

 Heart disease
 Heart attacks
 Stroke
 Chronic health problems
 Diabetes
 Obesity

Excessive fat intake of saturated fats and trans fats are associated with the greatest complications. Trans fats are those fats that are solid at room temperature. One of the best ways to limit the intake of saturated fat is to limit the intake of animal fat in the diet. Animal fats include meats such as:

 Bacon
 Sausage
 Butter
 Ice cream

Cholesterol can be regulated by watching the intake of eggs and organ meats, as well as other foods that are known to be high in cholesterol.

Food labels can make it difficult to determine which fats are good fats. for example, trans fats are listed on the ingredient lists and not in the chart of dietary information. Processed foods contain more trans fats.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are better choices. These can be found in canola and olive oil. These are lighter oils and it is a big step towards healthier eating if you incorporate these into your diet instead of using fats such as lard to cook with. These fats are liquid at room temperature. They also have heart-protecting qualities, unlike trans fats.

Fish also contain good fats. They are a source of omega-3 fatty acids. These have been found to help lower cholesterol and to promote good health. They