Fats Are Good. Fats are an important part of your diet. They
give you essential fatty acids which are needed to maintain basic
health. Fats assist your body in assimilating important Vitamins A,
D, E and K which are used for building healthy skin, bones, cellular
strength and resistance to ailments. A reasonable amount of stored
fat will act as a shock absorber in your body. This fat will cushion
bones and vital organs, protecting them from impact. In colder weather, this added fat will insulate your body against heat loss. Fat
combines with the mineral phosphorus, to form a phospholipid sub-
stance that is required to build and rebuild your billions of body cells
and tissues from head to toe. So you do need fat!
why fat has received so much “bad press.” The reason here is that
Fats Can Be Bad. With this understanding, you may wonder
some types of food fats you eat can become stored to excess in your
body. When this occurs, you have what is known as an
“overload.
This may lead to problems of excessive cholesterol, as well as clog
ging of your arteries and the risk of heart trouble. Furthermore,
there are “good” fats and “bad” fats. Briefly, here is a checklist.
“Good” Fats. Free-flowing oils that are considered poly-
unsaturated or containing substances that do not harden.
“Bad” Fats. So-called “hard” fats that are considered sat-
urated and also a source of excessive cholesterol.
Which Fats Are More Desirable? Foods containing fats
that are low in saturates and low in cholesterol (also low in calories)
appear to be more desirable. They offer you appreciable amounts of
fats but not to an excess. At the same time, foods that are high in
polyunsaturates are considered to be preferable in your quest for
controlling fat buildup in your body. (See the tables on pages 109.
110 and 111.)