Nutrition & Exercise

Are All Fats Bad?

So… fats and calories are bad for me, right? Actually… no.  We need some fat and calories for energy, but it is bad to consume too many.

Fats are used as a fuel for the body. They are stored in fat cells because the body is “planning ahead” for times when there might not be any food. Calories are a way to measure the amount of energy that food gives the body.

Be careful of labels – low-fat, light, fat-free, and reduced fat all mean something different. Fat-free means the food does not have more than 0.5 grams of fat in one serving. Low-fat means there are three grams of fat or fewer in one serving. Light means there is 50 percent less fat than the original version. But sometimes the original version had so much fat that the light version is not even healthy.

But some fats are bad!

Saturated fat and trans fat are bad for your health and can increase the risk of heart disease. Saturated fat is found in animal products, such as the fat on meat. Trans fat is naturally found in dairy and meat but is artificially added to some products. Fried foods and baked goods usually have trans fat.