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Fats are essential to good health and the enjoyment of the food we eat.

Animal fats contribute familiar and pleasuring textures and flavors, but with results that are detrimental to good health.

Fats from sources other than animals present positive effects and are ito be included in our diets whenever possible.

These suggestions will help substitute beneficial fats into our diet as we introduce a new and enjoyable approach to healthful eating.

OLIVE OIL

Aside from flavor and pleasing taste, the list of reasons for the judicious use of olive oil is long and varied:

It is believed that olive oil promotes heart health and reduces cancer risks.

The use of olive oil aids weight control and seems to lower blood sugar levels.

Olive oil in the diet, or applied topically, keeps hair and skin pliable and soft.

Olive oil seems to lower LDL (undesirable cholesterol) as it supports HDL (desirable cholesterol) that removes buildup in the arteries.

Look for "extra-virgin" on the label. This simply means, among other things, that the oil contains less than 1 percent oleric acid, which, in turn, means the olives were pressed before they started to deteriorate.

Extra virgin tends to be the most expensive olive oil, and the most desirable condiment. A mere drizzle, sometimes with a pinch of salt, might be a condiment that could not be more simple or delicious.

COOKING WITH OLIVE OIL

Other grades of olive oil, usually from pressings that follow the gathering of extra-virgin oil, serve different and specific purposes. Under high heat, the esters and alcohol that comprise the delicate flavor and fragrance of fine olive oil will evaporate. The health benefits remain.

Use a light olive oil, without a highly definitive flavor, to bake a cake. Served with a sauce of fresh fruit, this is a delicious dessert with a Mediterranean flare.

Fry with the more economical pomace oil that has a higher smoking point. It does not readily break down in home use, and resists oxidation and hydrogenation. Use the more flavorful "extra virgin" oil as a condiment after cooking and at the table.

OLIVE OIL SPREAD

Make your own olive oil spread, exploiting the butter flavor but increasing the healthful olive oil benefits.

Use 1 cup butter to 1.5 cups olive oil. Beat butter in a food processor or mixer until softened, and then gradually add olive oil. When it is completely blended, and the mixture pours well, put it into containers of a reasonable size and store in refrigerator. When chilled, it will spread nicely.

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