Fat is not the enemy - make fat your friend

Fat helps us grow and develop. Our brain needs fat

Saturated fatty acids have all the hydrogen the carbon atoms can hold. Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature, and they're more stable — that is, they don't combine readily with oxygen. Saturated fats and trans fats are the main dietary factors in raising blood cholesterol.
www.americanheart.org

Fats play a vital role in maintaining healthy skin and hair...

...insulating body organs against shock, maintaining body temperature, and promoting healthy cell function. They also serve as energy stores for the body. Fats are broken down in the body to release glycerol and free fatty acids. The glycerol can be converted to glucose by the liver and thus used as a source of energy. Fat also serves as a useful buffer towards a host of diseases. When a particular substance, whether chemical or biotic, reaches unsafe levels in the bloodstream, the body can effectively dilute, or at least maintain equilibrium of the offending substances by storing it in new fat tissue. This helps to protect vital organs, until such time as the offending substances can be metabolized and/or removed from the body by such means as excretion, urination, accidental or intentional bloodletting, sebum excretion, and hair growth.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat

A high level of cholesterol in the blood is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease...

...which leads to heart attack, and also increases the risk of stroke. Total fat intake (saturated, trans, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated) should be adjusted to fit total caloric needs. Overweight people should consume no more than 30 percent of total calories from fat. Trans fats are unsaturated, but they can raise total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol and lower HDL ("good") cholesterol. Trans fats result from adding hydrogen to vegetable oils used in commercial baked goods and for cooking in most restaurants and fast-food chains.
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4582

Types of fat       

Unsaturated fats are found in plant foods and fish and may be good for heart health. The best of the unsaturated fats are found in olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, albacore tuna, and salmon - Saturated fats are found in meat and other animal products, such as butter, cheese, and all milk except skim. Saturated fats are also in palm and coconut oils, which are often used in commercial baked goods (the kind you buy at the store). Eating too much saturated fat can raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease - Trans fats are found in margarine, and also in certain foods that you buy at the store or in a restaurant, such as snack foods, baked goods, and fried foods. When you see "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" oils on an ingredient list, the food contains trans fats. Like saturated fats, eating too much can raise cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease.
http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/nutrition/food/fat.html

Telling "Good Fat" from "Bad Fat"

Each cell of our bodies is encased in a cell wall made up of a fat layer sandwiched between two protein layers. This fat layer regulates how nutrients and waste products pass in and out of the cell, a process essential to good health. As your body makes cells every day, you must provide a steady supply of fat (building blocks) every day. Olive oil is excellent for salads and cooking. The low rate of heart disease in southern Italy has been attributed to consumption of olive oil which contains several fats including oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that has been hailed as an artery cleanser that over time actually reverses arteriosclerosis and restores flexibility to arteries. Other oils, such as sunflower, soy, safflower, etc. should be used in moderation as they contain far more omega-6 than omega-3 oil and thus a healthy balance is harder to maintain.
http://www.bastnet.com/fatfacts/index.html

Scientific research indicates that Omega-3 fats help prevent a wide range of medical problems...

...including cardiovascular disease, depression, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. Symptoms indicating a need for more high-omega-3 foods are: Depression - Cardiovascular Disease - Type 2 Diabetes - Fatigue - Dry, itchy skin - Brittle hair and nails - Inability to concentrate - Joint pain.--- Salmon, flax seeds and walnuts are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Very good sources of these healthy fats include scallops, cauliflower, cabbage, cloves and mustard seeds. Good sources of these fats include halibut, shrimp, cod, tuna, soybeans, tofu, kale, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts.
http://www.whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=84

Books about fats

Know Your Fats Author: Dr. Mary G. Enig Dr. Mary G. Enig, a nutritionist/biochemist of international renown for her research on the nutritional aspects of fats and oils, is a consultant, clinician, and the Director of the Nutritional Sciences Division of Enig Associates, Inc., Silver Spring, Maryland. Dr. Enig, a consultant on nutrition to individuals, industry, and state and federal governments, is a licensed practitioner in Maryland and the District of Columbia. She has served as a Contributing Editor of the scientific journal Clinical Nutrition and a Consulting Editor of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Dr. Enig has authored numerous journal publications, mainly on fats and oils research and nutrient/drug interactions, and is a well-known invited lecturer at scientific meetings and a popular interviewee on TV and radio shows about nutrition. She was an early and articulate critic of the use of trans fatty acids and advocated their inclusion in nutritional labeling; the scientific mainstream is now challenging the food product industry´s use of trans-containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.	Fat Author: Jennifer McLagan Persuasively arguing that the never-ending quest for "health" has gone too far, McLagan´s elegant and informed look at this most maligned ingredient is appropriately unctuous. A crucial part of our diets, fat not only provides health benefits but pure pleasure: few ingredients can carry flavor the way fat does. Breaking the topic down into categories (butter, pork, poultry, beef-and-lamb), McLagan carefully chooses recipes that showcase the role of fat in imparting and carrying flavor. Versatile butter adds richness to pastry dough, a sweet nuttiness to Brown Butter Ice Cream, thickens classic sauces and can be used to gently poach scallops. A classic BLT gets a jolt of flavor from bacon-fat mayonnaise, and sliced Yukon Gold potatoes cooked in duck fat are practically ambrosial. While there´s a fair number of indulgent dishes (3-inch bone-in ribeyes served with a red wine sauce and roasted bone marrow, a pork-fat laden twist on peanut brittle), McLagan emphasizes flavor and application over decadence. Digressions like those on the history of Crisco, fat as an art medium and a thoughtful look at foie gras are welcome and enlightening. Her mixture of science, cultural anthropology and culinary imagination are intoxicating, making this a crucial work on the topic.	The Body Fat Solution Author: Tom Venuto The Body Fat Solution is Tom Venuto’s complete program to lose body fat, build muscle—and keep the weight off for good. By now, we all know that we gain fat when we take in more calories than we burn. But we’re not always rational creatures when it comes to food. Venuto provides a sound plan that will help us put the brakes on overeating by pinpointing the mental roadblocks and emotional eating patterns that are preventing us from losing weight for good. Guiding readers to dig deeper, The Body Fat Solution explores: * Why it is so difficult to balance calorie output with input * What prevents people from eating appropriately and exercising more * The emotional and psychological factors that sabotage Success. Tom Venuto reminds us that calories do count! But The Body Fat Solution is neither super low carb nor super low fat, and he steers clear of demonizing entire food groups. Instead, Venuto shows how to personalize an eating plan that takes into account your unique metabolism and calorie needs. He then presents workout programs to maximize the success of the diet plan that are fast and efficient, enabling you to quickly achieve your goal of replacing fat with lean muscle. Tapping into his years of training expertise and personal experience, Venuto helps readers change their relationship with food, empowers them to take charge of their lives, and delivers a program that promises dramatic and permanent results.	Good Fats, Bad Fats Author: Rosemary Stanton Most of us regard fat as the number-one food enemy—the element in food that stands between us and good health. In Good Fats, Bad Fats, nutritionist Rosemary Stanton provides an indispensable resource that will help you see that all fats are not created equal. Stanton looks at all types of fats—saturated, poly- and monounsaturated, cholesterol, evening primrose oil, omega-3s, and omega-6s—and explains in simple language what they are, what they do, which ones you should be eating and which you should avoid. Organized in an easy-to-browse format, Stanton touches on topics including: * Fat requirements and functions in food * Health advantages and disadvantages * Weight control * Reducing your risk of disease * Dietary fat and children. Fat substitutes Packed with essential information that no informed eater should be without, Good Fats, Bad Fats will show you how to adjust your eating habits and strike the perfect balance of fat for optimum health and vitality.

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