Fats
Do you think fast food is fatty? Do you think fast food is bad for you? Sure. That is the easy part. We all know that french fries are not good for us. And, yes they contain fat, but so do healthy foods such as salmon. In fact, all foods, even some vegetables have some fat content. The idea that "bad" foods such as french fries should be avoided because of their fat content may lead some patients to believe all fats should be avoided. We need to teach our patients that the days of striving for a "low-fat" diet are over. The critical factor is in the types of fat that we eat. Indeed, fats play a key role in our bodies. They provide energy and a means of energy storage. Fats enable us to absorb the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Our cells use fats to synthesize membranes and signal between one another. Fats provide the building blocks for chemicals such as estrogen. Additionally, "good" fats improve cholesterol profiles, protect against cardiac arrhythmias, and are anti-inflammatory, leading to protection against multiple chronic diseases.
Clearly fats are important, but from which sources should we obtain them and how much should we eat? Our key to a well-balanced diet lies with eating fats that the body needs versus those that it does not, rather than total avoidance of fats altogether.
In summary, the "skinny" on fats is that we can and should consume fats, but with proper emphasis on the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. We should limit our intake of saturated fats as much as possible and avoid trans fats altogether. We should not recommend "low fat diets." They do not promote weight loss unless they are linked with low-calorie diets, nor do they decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease or strokes. Unfortunately, we are used to our unhealthy fats diet. Our goal should at least be to substitute good fats for bad ones, such as avocados instead of mayonnaise, nuts over potato chips, and flaxseed oil over butter (5).