Learn the health benefits of dietary fat

With all the emphasis on low-fat foods in recent years, you might think low-fat diets are the way to go. But they're not. Low fat means high carb, and this isn't optimal. We'll go through the facts and make things clearer.

•  Fat isn't all bad, especially where your blood sugar is concerned. Fat doesn't raise blood sugar a bit, and it doesn't require insulin in order to be metabolized, so it doesn't raise insulin levels either. Its glycemic load (GL) is zero, and because it slows the rate at which food leaves your stomach, it can blunt the blood sugar effect of a whole meal, even if that meal includes carbs.
• Want to metabolize carbohydrates better? Make sure that you're getting the right fats. That means monounsaturated fat (the kind in olive oil, nuts, and avocados) and omega-3 fatty acids (found in fatty fish) instead of saturated fat (the kind in red meat and dairy foods).
• Good fats are remarkable because they can actually help reverse insulin resistance. On the other hand, saturated fat not only raises "bad" LDL cholesterol and increases heart disease risk, but it increases insulin resistance, too.
• To get more good fats, eat fish at least once a week, add avocado instead of full-fat cheese to your salads and sandwiches, toss your pasta salad with olive oil or toasted walnuts instead of cream sauce, and put peanut butter instead of butter on your toast.
• Adding good fats to foods means each portion will have a lower GL (glycemic load). A low-GL meal won't lead to sudden large increases in blood sugar.

See? Shunning fat actually isn't the best way to eat healthily and lose weight. Use these tips to choose the right fats, and don't feel guilty about their presence in your diet.