Fat is often seen as something to be avoided, when in fact the body needs fat in reasonable amounts. What is more important to understand is the type of fat and how much of it we consume. Knowing the differences between the types of fat in general can help us make wiser food choices.
Fat Is Not Simply the Enemy
Fat is one of the body's sources of energy and helps a number of important functions. For that reason, eliminating fat entirely is not the right goal. What is commonly recommended is choosing better types of fat and keeping the amount reasonable, rather than avoiding it altogether.
Getting to Know the Types of Fat
In general, the fat in food can be grouped into several types. A simple grouping looks roughly like this:
- Unsaturated fat, which is abundant in plant sources such as nuts, avocado, and certain vegetable oils, as well as in fish.
- Saturated fat, which is found more in some animal products and certain processed foods.
- Trans fat, which generally comes from certain processing methods and is usually recommended to be limited.
This grouping is general. Many foods actually contain a mix of several types of fat at once.
Choosing Fats Wisely
Choosing better fats can be done in simple ways. You can include more plant-based fat sources and fish, pay attention to cooking methods such as not frying too often, and read labels to check the fat content of packaged products. As with other aspects of eating, balance and reasonable portions are usually more important than rigid rules.
Everyone's needs differ, especially for those with certain health conditions. For that reason, general guidance should still be adjusted to each person's situation.
This article is general education and is not a diagnosis or personal nutritional advice. If you have a certain health condition or want to manage your fat intake according to your needs, it is best to consult a doctor or nutritionist, including a 20FIT doctor, to get suitable advice.