The Truth About Dietary Fat

Dietary fat frequently gets a bum rap. Eating fat doesn't make you overweight, just as eliminating it doesn't make you thin. There are many factors that go into a weight loss program, and understanding the different types of dietary fat is important.

Think of fat as stored energy. A calorie is a measure of energy, and for each 1 gram of dietary fat you eat, you will be consuming 9 calories. This is true of all types of fat, healthy or not. For comparison, 1 gram of carbohydrates or 1 gram of protein is 4 calories. However, just because fat is higher in calories than carbohydrates or protein, it is not necessarily bad for you or your waistline - in fact achieving a good balance between the these three macronutrients is essential to any weight loss program and many basic bodily functions rely on dietary fat to work properly; though it's still important to understand the various types.

Saturated Fat

This type of fat is solid at room temperature, meaning it's also solid inside your body. Saturated fat is most prevalent in meat and dairy products, so you should work to limit your intake by purchasing lean meats, low fat or even skim milk, and reduced fat cheeses. However, saturated fat should not be eliminated from your diet altogether - it's still vital for your survival! The CDC recommends that someone on a 2000 calorie diet eat about 20 grams of saturated fat daily.

Monounsaturated Fat (MUFAs)

MUFAs are found in a variety of foods and oils. Research suggests that this kind of fat can actually help the body regulate its blood sugar and insulin levels, and it's also been shown to help lower cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated Fat (PUFAs)

You've probably heard that omega-3 fatty acids, which are one type of polyunsaturated fat, are especially good for heart health. You can find these healthy PUFAs in vegetable based oils, nuts and some fish.

Trans Fat

I saved the worst for last - trans fat is the only type of fat you should work to completely eliminate from your diet. It is found naturally in a few foods, but you should mostly be looking out for vegetable oil that has been altered to improve its shelf life.

Never buy anything that lists having trans fat on the nutritional label. There is something to be aware of here though: if there is less than.5 grams of any nutrient per serving, then food manufacturers aren't required to report it on the nutritional label. You'll have to investigate the ingredients list and look for something that says "partially hydrogenated" oil. Remember that trans fat is created when the vegetable oil is altered, so something that says "fully" or "completely" hydrogenated vegetable oil does notcontain trans fat.