Good Fats and Bad Fats in Your Diet
Fat is the latest hero of the foodies. For years, it was taboo to eat more than a blip of fat in your diet. Fortunately, science has prevailed and you are once again able to eat fat guilt-free. Essential fat comprises three to five percent of a man’s bodyweight; eleven to thirteen percent of a woman’s. Fats are involved with just about every process in your body. They are necessary for cell membrane integrity, hormone production, energy metabolism and proper heart function. A diet too low in fat will kill you just as quick as a diet too high in fat. Like everything else you eat, there is a proper balance that will enable your body to be at its peak level of health and performance. Three types of fats have to be eaten in the right balance: omega-6, saturated and omega-3. Omega-6 fats are unsaturated and monounsaturated fats that come from vegetable sources like safflower, canola and olive oils. Omega-3 fats, which are also unsaturated, come from fish (especially cold water fish su