by Kevin Mcinturff

Created on: September 26, 2008   Last Updated: October 06, 2008

Pick up any newspaper or listen to any news program and chances are there will be a discussion on diet and nutrition. Eating healthy is more important to more people today than ever before and for good reason. So many studies have linked many ailments such as heart disease and cancer to poor nutrition and one of the biggest concerns centers on the consumption of fats.

Staying healthy requires eating the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. However; it can become confusing over what types of fats are healthy and which are not and why it is important to eat the right types of fat.

In the simplest way of defining fats, there are good fats and bad fats. Good fats are naturally found in the foods we eat such as eggs, olives, avocados, flaxseed and nuts. Bad fats are fats which are heat processed and found in things like shorting. They are often referred to as trans-fats.

In addition, there are a mixture of the three types of good fats; saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Saturated fat can be found in butter while monounsaturated is found in olive oil. Polyunsaturated can be found in foods like fish and peanut butter.

Good fats are important for human health because they provide the foundation for production of hormones and certain cells in the body. For example, Omega-3 fatty acids which are found in fish are the key components for anti-inflammatory hormones.

Trans-fats are used in the production of packaged goods such as cookies, pretzels, cakes, potatoes chips and margarine. The problem with trans-fats is that the body cannot break them down and they attach to arteries resulting in plaque formation, which is linked to heart disease, asthma, breast cancer, diabetes and other illnesses. If fact, trans-fats are so unhealthy that the city of New York has banned their use in all restaurants.

The amount of good fats that most people should consume is open to debate. However; most experts suggest that good fats should not comprise more than 30% of daily caloric intake and should come from a mix of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Sources of good fats can be found in flaxseed and fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines which as mentioned before are high in omega-3 fats. Nuts like walnuts, almonds, macadamia and pecans have different amounts of good fats. Eggs and beef contain both saturated and unsaturated fat. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat. However; highly refined vegetable oils such as corn and soybean should be used sparingly.

It is important to remember that good fats are a part of a healthy diet and consumed in the right proportion to other foods will provide the necessary nutrition everyone needs. Trans-fats which are found in shorting and margarine should be avoided whenever possible. So by following these basic guidelines there is no reason not to enjoy the foods we like which are both favorable and satisfying.

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