For anyone dieting, fat may seem like the enemy; but in fact, fat is vital to your health. Certain types of fat contain vitamins and compounds that help regulate blood pressure and heart rate. While too much fat can lead to obesity and heart problems, adequate amounts of the right kinds of fat actually can be beneficial.

The nutrition label heading for fats features subheads listing the types of fats that are in each product. Knowing which fats are good and which are bad can be difficult to determine. The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, offers this clarification:

Saturated fats	Saturated fat can increase LDL and risk of heart attack. It is solid or waxy at room temperature, which causes artery-blocking buildup. This fat is found in animal products such as red meat, poultry and whole milk and also in tropical oils such as palm and coconut.
Trans fat	Beginning in 2006, FDA required trans fats to be listed separately on food labels. Trans fat is created by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil to solidify it, which prevents products from spoiling quickly. Found mostly in prepackaged and fried foods, this fat actually increases your LDL or "bad" cholesterol, while also lowering your HDL or "good" cholesterol. It is important to note that if a product contains less than 0.5 grams of fat, the nutrition label will list "0 grams." So while a product may list "0 grams trans fat," if the ingredient list includes "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated oil," trans fats are present. This is one reason why it is important to be mindful of serving sizes.
Unsaturated fats	These healthy fats help lower your LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, which can clog arteries, leading to heart disease and stroke. Monounsaturated: This type of fat is found in olive oil, avocados and nuts. Polyunsaturated: This fat is found in vegetable oils and soy. Omega-3 fatty acids: A type of polyunsaturated fat, omega-3s are found primarily in seafood and flax. They have been found to decrease the risk of coronary disease and stabilize heart rate and blood pressure.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions that any type of fat is high in calories and recommends that adults limit their fat intake to 20-35 percent of their total daily calories. To avoid additional calories, substitute polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats for saturated fats and trans fats. Jun 01, 2008 - 03:19 PM