Know Your Diet
Resolve to Understand Dietary Fats

Saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, trans fat, good fat, bad fat ... with so many labels and standards, it can be confusing to figure out just what kind of fats do a body good, and which ones can lead to clogged arteries.

The right amount of the right kinds of fats can provide vital nutrients the human body needs to function properly. In healthy quantities, the body uses fats as an energy source and to build cell membranes. Fats can also make chemical compounds the body needs to regulate blood pressure, heart rate, blood clotting, blood vessel constriction and the nervous system.

Use this guide to decipher the fatty confusion.

The Good
Your best options are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. If eaten in the place of so-called "bad" fats, these can lower the risk of heart disease by lowering bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood. Monounsaturated fats remain liquid at room temperature and include olive, peanut and canola oils. Additionally, avocados and most nuts are high in monounsaturated fats.

Polyunsaturated fats are also usually liquid at room temperature and include vegetable oils, such as corn, sunflower and soy.

You may have heard of omega-3 fatty acids. These are polyunsaturated fats that are found mostly in seafood, including salmon, mackerel and herring.

The Bad
Any type of saturated fat should be avoided if possible. It can significantly increase a person's risk of heart disease by increasing the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood. It is usually solid or waxy at room temperature and can be found mostly in animal products like red meat, poultry, butter and whole milk. Other foods that contain this artery-clogging fat include coconut, palm and many tropical oils.

The Unhealthy
Stay away from trans fats, also referred to as trans-fatty acids. They come from adding hydrogen to vegetable oil in a process called hydrogenation. This may act as a preservative by making fat more solid and less likely to turn rancid. Consumers will find it in many commercial baked goods such as crackers and cookies. It also rears its ugly artery-clogging head in fried foods such as doughnuts and french fries.

Health experts often recommend that consumers eliminate all trans fats from their diets.

Truth in Labels
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that consumers limit fat calories to only 35% of their daily caloric intake. It's important to read nutrition labels to discover just what kinds of fats are included in various food products. Keep saturated fat to less than 10% of your total daily calories.

Fat calories add up a lot quicker. Some fats have nine calories per gram and most carbohydrates and proteins only have four calories per gram.

Food manufacturers are now required to list how much trans fat is included in their products. Note, however, that the USDA allows a manufacturer to advertise the product as being "trans-fat free" if there is less than 0.5 grams per serving. The best way to avoid trans fats is to check the ingredients. If the food contains hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, it is guaranteed to have some trans fats.

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