Livin' Lean Topic Tuesday: Fast Fat Facts

Fat is bad for you. Fat is good for you. Eat this fat, don't eat that fat. Saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated fats...oh, my! There is so much information out there about bad fats vs. healthy fats that it can become quite confusing at times. In the past, low-fat foods were the way to go. But what is all this stuff about heart-healthy fats, like the kind found in salmon and olive oil? If it is recommended that we eat this "good" fat, then how much? Help!

Well, here are some "Fast Fat Facts" to help you get a handle on all this blubber you are hearing about fat.

Good Fats                                              Found In...

Monounsaturated fat --- Olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts and seeds



Polyunsaturated fat ----Vegetable oils (such as safflower, corn, sunflower, soy and cottonseed oils), nuts and seeds


Omega-3 fatty ----acids Fatty, cold-water fish (such as salmon, mackerel and herring), flaxseeds, flax oil and walnuts

Not So Good Fats                                     Found In...

Saturated fat ----Animal products (such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, lard and butter), and coconut, palm and other tropical oils



Trans fat ----Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, commercial baked goods (such as crackers, cookies and cakes), fried foods (such as doughnuts and french fries), shortening and margarine


Dietary cholesterol ---Animal products (such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, lard and butter


Fat should be limited in our diets, but not cut out completely. The USDA and HHS recommend that our daily intake of fat does not exceed 35 % of our daily caloric intake (less than 10% for saturated fats). For example, if you take in 1800 calories a day, you should not have more than 70 grams of fat per day (To figure: Multiply 1,800 by 0.35 to get 630 calories, and divide that number by 9, the number of calories per gram of fat, to get 70 grams of total fat.) Remember, this is a maximum limit and that the majority of your fat intake should come from "good" sources.

Remember, there are positive benefits to adding healthy fats to your diet...as long as in moderation; which seems to be the case with almost everything in our lives.

I hope this has helped. Have a great Tuesday!



**For more information on fat, visit www.mayoclinic.com.
***Information for this article was found here; part of www.mayoclinic.com.