The Good Fat

When looking at dietary fat, it's important to remember that fat is actually an essential part of a healthy person's diet. Some people have restricted their fat intake to a mere 5-10 percent of their diet and this can have serious effects on overall health. The fact is that reducing fat intake to 20 percent or less is foolish. Many people believe hat the lower the fat in your diet, the healthier your diet will be. They don't realize that some fat is absolutely essential to your health. Nor do they know the difference between which fats are good and which are bad for your health. Further, it's seldom understood that a low-fat diet may actually increase your chance for cardiovascular disease because the reduction in dietary fat can adversely affect blood lipids such as triglycerides and HDL, and the vital intake of essential fatty acids.

Unsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are called essential fatty acids, or EFAs, because, although they are very important, the body cannot manufacture them, at least not in the form in which they occur. A balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is necessary to good health.