5 Things You Need to Know About Dietary Fats

1. Essential for Health

While some people would like to find a way to eliminate fat from their diets entirely, doing so would have a negative effect on overall health. We must consume some fat to get the essential fatty acids our bodies need to form hormone-like substances that regulate blood pressure, the immune system and the nervous system. Two dietary fats our bodies are unable to manufacture are omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.

2. How Much is Enough?

There isn't a recommended dietary allowance for fat. Researchers estimate people must consume at least 1 percent to 2 percent of their calories from fat to maintain health. Therefore, most people can meet their needs for dietary fat by eating 10 to 20 grams of fat each day. Before you celebrate with a candy bar, consider how quickly the fat grams add up: Two tablespoons of peanut butter contain 15 grams of fat. French fries contain approximately one gram of fat per fry. With today's super-sizing trends, the grams add up quickly.

3. Fishing for Good Heart Health

Researchers looking for an explanation for low heart disease among Eskimos despite high fat intake found an answer in their diets. Eskimo diets are high in omega-3 fatty acids because they eat fish every day. These fatty acids decrease the stickiness of blood cells that cause clotting, which could lead to blockages in arteries. Omega-3 fatty acids also thin the blood and decrease blood pressure. However, not all of us should start taking fish-oil capsules. Fish-oil capsules may contain cholesterol and other fatty acids we don't want to include in our diets. Eating two or three servings of fish per week can also provide healthy amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

4. The Fuss About Trans Fats

Consumers may have noticed that manufacturers are increasingly advertising products as "trans-fat free." This sometimes happens even when the product itself is high in fat. Food manufacturers create a trans fatty acid when they add hydrogen bonds to the fatty acids in liquid oils to increase the hardness of the food product. For example, hydrogenation turns liquid vegetable oil into margarine. The problem is that trans fatty acids raise cholesterol just as saturated fat does. Eliminate trans fatty acids from your diet if possible, as they provide no beneficial health effects.

5. The Cholesterol Conundrum

Most Americans equate cholesterol with heart disease and poor health. Selecting food with "cholesterol-free" printed on the label seems like a healthy choice every time. However, cholesterol comes only from animal-based foods. This means that a stick of margarine is cholesterol-free. Furthermore, there are two kinds of cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is the good cholesterol, and levels greater than 60 milligrams/milliliters reduce a person's risk of heart disease. LDL cholesterol is unhealthy cholesterol. Try to keep it below 130 milligrams/milliliters by eating less saturated fat.