Rene:
Don’t feel bad you’re not alone. It seems that most of America has been brainwashed into believing that all fats are unhealthy. After all the food industry spends millions of dollars each year advertising reduced fat, low fat and fat free items. It’s no wonder the average person is misinformed.

The truth of the matter is all fats are not created equal. Fats can be broken into 2 major categories: good fats and bad fats. Studies show that good fats have a variety of health benefits while bad fats increase our risk of obesity, heart disease and even cancer.

Good fats include monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Monounsaturated fats are good for you because they lower bad cholesterol levels that clog artery walls greatly reducing the risk of heart disease. These fats are easy to identify because they are usually liquid at room temperature. They include olive oil, canola oil and sunflower oil. They can also be found in foods such as almonds, sesame seeds, avocados and peanut butter.

Polyunsaturated fats also promote a healthy heart by reducing bad cholesterol levels. They help maintain healthy skin, nails, hair, and brain function. They include the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They can be found in soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil and flaxseed oil. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish such as salmon, tuna, trout and all shell fish.

Bad fats include saturated fats and Trans fats. Saturated fats have been proven to raise overall cholesterol levels and contribute to heart disease. They are primarily found in animal products such as meat, dairy, eggs and seafood. Palm oil and palm kernel oil are also sources of saturated fat. These fats can be easily identified because they are usually solid at room temperature.

Trans fats were invented when scientists decided to hydrogenate or turn liquid fat into solid fat. This process increases the shelf life of certain products and helps to preserve flavor. However these fats are particularly dangerous. In fact the recommended daily amount of trans fats according to the American Food and Drug administration is zero. Like saturated fats, trans fats have been strongly linked to heart disease. Trans fats can be found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils such as vegetable shortenings and margarine. It can also be found in some crackers, candies, cookies and other snack foods, fried foods and baked goods. As of January 1st 2006 all food manufacturers were required to list trans fat on food labels so look for them.

The answer is yes. You can get fat from eating too much good fat. Remember all fats are high in calories. In fact all sources of fat contain 9 calories per gram. Carbohydrates and protein have only 4 calories per gram. So be careful.

The best policy is to eat fat in moderation. Try to substitute good fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in place of saturated fats and trans fats. Cook with small amounts of extra virgin olive oil. Supplement your diet with flaxseed oil.  Choose foods that are lower in saturated fats such as egg beaters, low fat cheese and skim milk. Don’t eat the skin on animal products such as chicken and turkey. Be sure to trim any excess fat. Include 2-3 servings of fish per week.

Remember fat is an essential part of any diet. Your body will not function properly without it. Try and include more good fats.