If you are not certain and you would like to know, then this article is devoted just for you. I will attempt to explain basic facts that you need to know so that you will not allow 'bad; fats to damage your health and you can use 'good' fats to enhance it.

You will often find that dietary fats are put into two simplistic categories. One being saturated fats and other being unsaturated fats. You are told that saturated fats are bad and unsaturated fats are good. But, is it as simple as that? No, its not! Before we look at these closer lets discuss real 'baddie' fat which is in a category of its own. This is because it is 'man made'. Maybe we should call this fat 'ugly' one because it does most damage.

I'm talking about Transfats or Hydrogenated fats... or, oils

OK, what are they, how are they made and where do I find them?

First of all you find them almost everywhere. In most processed foods including cookies, solid and semi solid margarines, commercial cooking oils and many domestic cooking oils. Look carefully at labels of any processed food that you buy. If you see hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated on label put it back on shelf.

Hydrogenated fats are produced by taking liquid oil and putting it through a process called hydrogenation. This is a process which combines heat and pressure to add several hydrogen atoms to oil. This process which takes place at around 400 degrees F for several hours in presence of a nickel or platinum catalyst converts liquid to a semi solid.

This helps prevent oil from becoming rancid even though it destroys its nutritional value. This process enables manufacturers to convert cheap low quality oils into butter substitutes... hence explosion of margarines on market.

These reprocessed oils and fats are completely foreign to body and it cannot assimilate them. There is therefore no nutritional value to them at all. Studies have shown that hydrogenated fats and oils are significant contributors to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, immunity and reproduction problems, as well as obesity.

Give them a wide berth!

What about saturated fats?

These are fats which are found in animal fats, red meat, poultry skin, and dairy products. Also some vegetable oils such as coconuts and palm oil are high in saturated fat.

These are fats that mainstream media warns you to stay away from. This is either through ignorance or influence from their advertisers, or both. There is no doubt that eating saturated fats in excess would not be good for you, but this principle applies to virtually all food.

The simple fact is that your body is designed to cope with saturated fats and has been since first human walked earth. Not only are our bodies designed to cope with ingestion of a certain amount of saturated fats, our bodies also need it. I accept that many people have too high an intake of dietary fat, but it is not usually through this source, but rather from trans or hydrogenated fats.