Fat, especially saturated fat, raises the level of cholesterol in the blood, which is, in turn, a risk factor for heart disease. There is also evidence that a high dietary fat intake may be associated with certain types of cancer. Both the American Heart Association and the National Cancer Institute recommend that Americans reduce their fat intake to about 30 percent of their total calories. Less than one-third of the fat in the diet should be in the form of saturated fats, such as butter and lard. The remainder should be from monounsaturated or polyunsaturated sources, which help decrease blood cholesterol levels.
Fats are a dense source of calories.
So any time you have a fat-filled snack, it's likely to be relatively high in calories. Some foods people choose for small snacks contain 10 or more grams of fat. Reducing one's fat intake doesn't have to mean a life of austere eating, but it does require making sensible choices and substitutions. Choose dairy products low in fat. Ice milk, for example, has less than half the fat of ice cream and approximately 40 percent fewer calories.