What is Dietary Fat?

A Nation Obsessed by Fat

It seems we've become a nation obsessed by fat. It dominates the headlines from the junk food served in schools to the growing problem of obesity. Fat is an issue that arises every day of our lives - counting calories has been replaced by counting fat content. But with so many types of fat, are you counting the right fat? Can you distinguish the bad fat from the good fat?

What is dietary fat?

There are several nutrient groups - carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals, fibre and fat. Each is vital, in appropriate quantities, to a healthy, balanced diet.

Dietary fats are otherwise known as fatty acids or lipids. There are two main types of dietary fats - unsaturated and saturated. This refers to how they are chemically structured.

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