Are Fats bad for you?

Fats have a lot of calories per gram (about twice that of carbohydrates and protein). Because most of the processed and fast foods today have very high amounts of fat, it’s easy for people to gain weight eating them.

There are a number of different types of fats that we consume. When you read the Nutrition Facts on a food label, the total fat is reported and it is made up of saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and trans-fats.

The fats to avoid in your diet are saturated fats and trans-fats. Fatty meats and high fat dairy products are high in saturated fat. Trans-fats are found in many processed foods like stick margarine, baked goods and snack foods. Both of these types of fats have to be reported on food labels.

There are good fats, however, and choosing foods that have monounsaturated fats like those in seeds, nuts, grape seed oil and olive oil have been shown to improve your cholesterol profile. Omega-3 fats are found in fish, some seeds, and nuts, and they appear to decrease the risk of cancer and strokes.

Even though there are good fats, they still contain calories, and watching the amount of total fat you eat is as important as the types of fats.