What Do I Need To Know About Fats And Their Effects On My Weight And Health?

March 9, 2009 -- Question: What do I need to know about fats and their effects on my weight and health?

Answer: Fats provide a lot of energy for their size.

Now, we've gone over the years from a low-fat diet to a high-fat, low-carb die,t and like many things, moderation is the key here. You don't need to avoid fats altogether. But for health purposes it probably isn't a good idea to go to the other extreme and eat a large amount of fat in our diet.

So, instead of going for quantity or extremes, go for quality. Try and eat unsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil or nuts or unsaturated fats such as vegetable oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, walnuts and other foods, and they can provide some health benefits.

I would try and minimize saturated fats and high-fat meat, high-fat dairy products such as cheese, butter and ice cream. And also try and go easy on trans fats that are found in margarine and other crackers and processed food.

You don't need to avoid fat altogether, but go for quality fats for the most taste and the most health benefit.