When you are on a “diet” to lose weight, many people think that they should be eating “fat free.” Foods that contain “fats” are very important to optimal health.

 Many nutrition experts recommend that the daily intake of fat should be kept between 20-30% of calories eaten. There are diet plans such as Pritikin Principle that recommend eating only 10% of total calories as fat. On the other end of the specturm, the Atkins diet is high fat.

The interesting thing to note, that the more fat we remove from our food the fatter Americans are becoming.

What does this all mean?

Fats are not the problem. It is the type of fat you eat that can get you into trouble. Lets talk about “FATS”.

There are 4 categories of fats. They are polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, saturated and trans fats.

The worst fat is the trans fats. Trans fats are made from vegetable oil that has been chemically changed to increase the shelf life of food product. Did you ever notice that margarine doesn’t spoil. That is because it isn’t a food.

Trans fats are found in many margarine’s, crackers, mayonnaise, salad dressings, baked goods, processed foods and fried foods.

Read food labesl. Do not eat foods that contain trans fats. Why? Trans fats can raise bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower the good cholesterol (HDL). Trans fats is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and chronic health problems.

Good fats include monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.

Monounsaturated fats are found in these oils: canola, peanut and olive oils. Avocados is rich in monounsaturated fats as are nuts and seeds. Keep extra virgin olive oil (EVO) your kitchen and use it. Do not worry about avocados. They are very good for you.

The polyunsaturated fats are found in sunflower, corn, soybean and flax-seed oils. These fats are also found in foods like walnuts, flax seeds and fish. Fish is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids and have been found to help lower cholesterol and promote health.

Saturated fat is another fat that you should have in your eating plan. Foods that contain saturated fats include meats, dairy, animal fats as well as plant fats. Meats are all meats and things like bacon and sausage. Dairy foods include cheese, cream, butter and ghee.  Animal fats include tallow, lard, and suet. Plant fats are found in coconut oil, cottonseed oil, palm kernel oil and chocolate.

Here are 9 reasons to include saturated fats in you eating plan:

1. Saturated fats reduces level of lipoproteins that correlates strongly with increase risk of heart disease.

2. These fats contribute to stronger bones.

3. Saturated fat has been shown to protect the liver from alcohol and medications like acetaminophen and arthritis treatments.

4. Healthy lungs are coated with surfactant that is made up of 100% saturated fats.

5. Supports a healthy brain.

6. Certain saturated fats like butter, coconut oil imfluence the metabolism and insulin.

7. Saturated fats boost the immune system by fortifying white blood cells.

8. We need saturated fats for the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

9. According to Dr Mercola (9/22/09) that “when women diet, those eating the greatest percentage of their total fat as saturated fat, lose the most weight.” This might be why the Atkins diet works.

Include fats in your eating plan. Moderation is the key. You are looking to eat between 20-30% of calories in fat. Beside, fats make the food taste good and is very satisfying.

Grab your free report 5 Tips for Successful Weight Loss.

Blessings, Mary Pat

Mary Pat FitzGibbons RN MS writes on healthy weight loss and other health issue facing Baby Boomer Women today.