Reading a Nutrition Label: Fats

Did you know that certain fats are good for you?  A quick lesson on fats: 

• There are two types of fats: brown fat and white fat.
• Brown fat is the superficial fat that is great for keeping you warm.
• White fat is the fat that surrounds, supports, and protects organs, such as your heart!
• Obviously, you want brown fat.  You want to protect your organs so that they can continue carrying out their responsibilities, aka keeping your alive and healthy, so to speak.
• Also, essential fatty acids, found in polyunsaturated fats, are critical for the function of the entire human body.
• Fat is fabulous: it is an energy source, aids in growth and development, supports cell walls; absorbs the fat-soluble vitamins of A, D, E, and K (aka no fat=deficiencies in these vitamins), helps to produce healthy skin, hair, and nails; 
• A key to losing weight (if that is your goal): is to knock out the bad fats and increase consumption of the good fats.

References

Bauer, J. (1999). The complete idiot's guide to total nutrition (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Alpha Books.

Gittleman, A. L. (2004). Super nutrition for women (Rev. ed.). New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books.

Heart Association. (n.d.). Know Your Fats. www.heart.org. Retrieved May 18, 2012, from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/PreventionTreatmentofHighCholesterol/Know-Your-Fats_UCM_305628_Article.jsp

Heart Association. (n.d.). Monounsaturated Fats.www.heart.org. Retrieved May 18, 2012, from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/FatsAndOils/Fats101/Monounsaturated-Fats_UCM_301460_Article.jsp

Heart Association. (n.d.). Polyunsaturated Fats. www.heart.org. Retrieved May 18, 2012, from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/FatsAndOils/Fats101/Polyunsaturated-Fats_UCM_301461_Article.jsp

Heart Association. (n.d.). Saturated Fats. www.heart.org. Retrieved May 18, 2012, from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/FatsAndOils/Fats101/Saturated-Fats_UCM_301110_Article.jsp