We have grown up in the age of fad diets. One fad that has lasted for some time is the low-fat diet.

Is a low-fat diet really a good idea, and are there any fats we really should be avoiding? Here are some useful tips to help you understand dietary fats.

Not all fats are bad in fact we need some fat in our diet.

According to the Dietary Reference Intakes, 20-35 percent of all the calories we consume a day, should come from fat.

Fat plays a major role in energy production and storage, hormone production, digestion, Vitamin D production and the list goes on.

So, which fats are healthier and less healthy? The American Heart association suggests limiting saturated fat to 7 percent from the calories we consume daily. These fats are solid at room temperature.

Most saturated fats come from animal sources such as meats, cheeses, whole milk, butter and eggs. Palm and coconut oil are high in saturated fats as well.

Excess saturated fats tend to increase LDL cholesterol levels in our bodies. This is the cholesterol that is associated with heart disease.

There are some very easy ways to reduce the amount of saturated fats in our diet and increase monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Replacing the solid fats with oils such as olive oil or canola oil can replace saturated fats with more heart healthy, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Try eating leaner meats such as beef that is 90 percent lean or better.

Chicken tenderloin is a great example of a white meat with low saturated fat. You can also limit saturated fat by choosing low-fat cheese and skim or 1 percent milk.

MU SAND can be contacted at [email protected].