HEALTHY DIET

Fats

Fats or lipids are one of the seven classes in our diet..

Importance of Fats

l  Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble, meaning they can only be digested, absorbed, and transported in conjunction with fats. Fats are also an important dietary requirement.

l  Fats play a vital role in maintaining healthy skin and hair, insulating body organs against shock, maintaining body temperature, and promoting healthy cell function.

l  Fats also serve as energy stores for the body, containing about 37.8 kilojoules (9 calories) per gram of fat. They 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.

l  Fat also serves as a useful buffer towards a host of diseases. When a particular substance reaches unsafe levels in the bloodstream, the body can effectively dilute or maintain equilibrium of the offending substances by storing it in new fat tissue. This helps to protect vital organs.

l  Some fatty acids are essential nutrients which cannot produced in our body. It would be unhealthy to do remove all the fats in diet.

How much total dietary fat do we need?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommend that Americans:

·         Consume less than 10% of calories from saturated fats.

·         Replace solid fats with oils when possible.

·         Limit foods that contain synthetic sources of trans fatty acids (such as hydrogenated oils), and keep total trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible.

·         Eat fewer than 300 mg of dietary cholesterol per day.

·         Reduce intake of calories from solid fats.

Age Group	Total Fat Limits
Children ages 2 to 3	30% to 40% of total calories
Children and adolescents ages 4 to 18	25% to 35% of total calories
Adults, ages 19 and older	20% to 35% of total calories