So although the percentage of calories from fat looks like it decreased from 1977 to 1994, the drop may have been due to an increase in total calories consumed. And considering that 30 percent of men and 45 percent of women say that they rarely or never exercise, it's easy to understand why 55 percent of Americans are considered to be overweight or obese today, compared to only 20 percent in 1977. Your diet should provide less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat. When you eat fat, choose unsaturated Unsaturated fat is classified as either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Eating foods that contain either type of unsaturated fat in place of foods containing saturated fats can help reduce your blood cholesterol level.
Research shows that polyunsaturated fats reduce both LDLs and HDLs.
Trans fatty acids are a type of fatty acid formed during hydrogenation, which makes a fat stable and solid at room temperature. For example, stick margarine is made by hydrogenating vegetable oil. A fatty acid becomes more saturated during hydrogenation. So the softer the margarine, the less saturated it is. Most varieties of fish contain omega-3, a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid that is associated with a decreased risk of heart disease in certain people.