 Stores vitamins A, D, E and K  Protects internal organs  Insulates the body from cold and shock  Promotes healthy skin

 Adds flavor to food  Satisfies hunger and helps you feel full longer  Reserve supply of energy  Aids in hormone synthesis

 Raises LDL and HDL levels of cholesterol  Typically solid at room temperature  Found in animal sources, coconut and palm oil  More harmful than cholesterol

 Better than Saturated fats  Found in vegetable oils and fish  Lowers both LDL and HDL cholesterol levels in blood

 Best type of fat  Found in plant and animal sources  Olive, canola and peanut oils are most common  Lower LDL and raise HDL levels of cholesterol in the blood

 Aka transfatty acids and partially hydrogenated oils  Industrially created by adding hydrogen to vegetable oils to make them more solid  Most harmful kind of fat  Raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol

 Increase risk of heard disease and stroke  Associated with higher risk of Type II Diabetes  Found in fried foods, baked goods, and shortening

 American Heart Association says less than 1% of your total daily calories should be trans fats  If you need 2,000 calories a day, no more than 20 of these calories can be from trans fats  This means you should only have 2 grams of trans fat every day

 Keep total fat intake between 25% and 35% of your total calories  Stick with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (fish, nuts, vegetable oils)

 Fat-like substance made by the body that is vital  In every cell of body  Skin tissue  Transports essential fatty acids  Used to produce hormones

 LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol  “bad” or “loser” cholesterol  High levels related to heart disease and obesity  HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol  “good” or “healthy” cholesterol

 The body manufactures the cholesterol it needs-you really don’t have to eat it  It is in all animal tissues  NOT found in plant foods  Found in membrane between cells

 Steam, boil, or bake instead of fry  Season with herbs and spices instead of sauces and butter  Use vinegar-based salad dressings  Use margarine instead of butter and oil instead of shortening to reduce saturated fats

 Use skim or 1% milk when making puddings and soups  Substitute plain yogurt or buttermilk in recipes that call for sour cream or mayonnaise  Choose lean cuts of meat  Eat less egg yolks