Years ago fats got a bad name in nutrition. As a result, food manufacturers started taking out the fat, but in order to make the food palatable they had to enhance the flavor with sweeteners, which created a whole different set of problems. Now people are gaining a better understanding about fats and are realizing that not all fats are created equal and fats are even essential to a healthy diet.

Fats are necessary for many biological processes. Fats provide energy and are necessary for the absorption and assimilation of many vitamins. Omega-3 fatty acid is a good example of a fat known to have many health benefits such as being an anti-inflammatory.

You will find that there are a lot of terms associated with fats such as saturated, unsaturated, trans and so on. All these terms describe the chemical composition of the fat but can be confusing for the newly health conscious consumer. While these are not hard and fast rules, these suggestions will get you started towards helping you gain some understanding about this complex subject. Let’s keep it simple to start and you can use this to build on as you learn more about nutrition.

Generally speaking unsaturated fats are going to be the healthier fats. You may see the prefix Poly or Mono in front, which is fine. Unsaturated fats generally come from plant sources and tend to be a liquid at room temperature.

Saturated fats are a bit complex and not clear cut as to whether they are healthy or not. Saturated fats come from animal sources and things like coconut oil. We know that coconut oil has many health benefits but there is disagreement about the nutritional value of animal fats.

However, trans fats are considered unhealthy. trans fats have been chemically altered to make them more stable. Look for terms such as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. This is a chemical process used to extend the shelf life of many products. Products such as shortening are good examples of trans fats.

As I stated earlier, this is a complex subject with many exceptions to the rules. If you would like to learn more about this topic I suggest the book Good Calories, Bad Calories. This book will help you get The Skinny on Fat.