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Reducing Dietary Fat

Reducing dietary fat has become a major, if not the primary, dietary goal for many consumers. With encouragement from health groups and government agencies, the public increasingly is choosing foods and beverages naturally low in fat, as well as the fast-growing array of prepared reduced-fat and non-fat foods and beverages. The development of a wide variety of ingredients known as fat replacers are making these light products possible.

 What is Fat?

Fat, like protein and carbohydrate, is a principal and essential component of the diet. Fat is the body's most concentrated source of energy. Some dietary fat is vital to enable the body to function properly. Fat is responsible for transporting "fat-soluble" vitamins A, D, E and K.

Dietary fats also are a source of fatty acids, including essential fatty acids which are necessary to assure good health. Essential fatty acids must be obtained from dietary sources (primarily vegetable oils) because the body cannot make them.

Fatty acids are separated by their structure as either saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Although naturally occurring fats in food are a mixture of many different fatty acids, fats can be characterized by their origin: 

Saturated fats are mainly found in foods of animal origin. These include the fats in whole milk, cream, cheese, butter, meat and poultry. Saturated fats also can be found in large amounts in some vegetable products, such as cocoa butter, coconut oil and palm oil. Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature. 

Monounsaturated fats are found primarily in plants, but also are found in animals. Olive, peanut and canola oil are common examples of fats high in monounsaturated fatty acids. Also, most margarines and hydrogenated vegetable shortenings tend to be high in monounsaturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature.

  Polyunsaturated fats are found mostly in plants. Sunflower, corn, soybean, cotton seed and safflower oils are vegetable fats that contain a relatively high proportion of polyunsaturated fats. Margarines with vegetable oil as the primary ingredient, and some fish, also are sources of polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats usually are liquid at room temperature.

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