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I always feel guilty when I eat fried food for dinner and not the carrot & celery stick diet the media claims I should follow. But, I never feel too guilty because current nutritional research says not all fat is bad. In fact, people lose weight and keep it off best on Mediterranean-type diets (35% of calories from fat) vs. low-fat diets (20% of calories from fat). Dieters lose weight by decreasing their consumption of bad fats (saturated & trans) and replacing these fats with good fats (unsaturated), whole grains, and more vegetables. And they keep the weight off by sticking to the diet - easily accomplished because they don’t feel deprived [1].

Functional Fat
Humans need fat. Fat surrounds our liver, intestines, kidneys, and other organs to cushion and protect them. Vitamins A, D, E, K, and many carotenoids dissolve in fat - just like salt dissolves in water. And without fat, we cannot absorb or use these vitamins. Fat is also the best energy source around. Carbohydrates and protein provide less than half the amount of energy fat does.

We must eat fat because our bodies can’t make two essential fatty acids, linolenic & alpha-linolenic acid [2]. Linolenic acid helps our wounds heal by promoting blood clotting and inducing pain and inflammation. Alpah-linolenic acid balances the efforts of linolenic acid by reducing clotting, pain, and inflammation - an effect that can help prevent heart disease [3]. Plus, cognition and brain tissue growth rely on both fatty acids. Luckily, these fatty acids are abundant in vegetable oils and fatty fish.

Fat is also very useful in the kitchen. We sauté onions, garlic, cumin seeds and other aromatics in oil or butter before adding other ingredients because flavor essences (much like vitamins) dissolve in fat [4]. If we eliminate all fat from our diet, we eliminate most of the flavor. But, we don’t have to use cups of oil or butter to gain flavor - just a teaspoon of fat can absorb plenty of flavor.

With fat we have crispy fries, flaky pie dough, creamy ice cream, and tender steak. Without fat we have soggy fries, oily pie dough, icy ice cream, and tough steak, Fat produces the textures that define these foods [2]. Clearly, eliminating all fat from our diet is not a good idea - not in terms of health or culinary enjoyment.

Fat Comes in all Shapes
But, not all fats are equal. The USDA breaks fats into four groups: saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, trans fat, and unsaturated fat. Each of these fats differs in their structure, the foods they are found in, and their effect on our bodies [5].

By removing some saturated and trans fats from your diet and replacing them with unsaturated fats you decrease your risk of getting colon cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Destroy Saturated Fat
I know of three easy ways to destroy saturated fat in your diet: use low-fat dairy products (I don’t recommend no-fat dairy products because most of them don’t taste good), eat less meat, and rely on things besides fat for flavor.

Using low-fat dairy products is probably the easiest change to make (if you haven’t already) because most dairy products come in low-fat versions. Neufchatel cheese vs. cream cheese, 1% milk vs. whole milk, low-fat yogurt and cottage cheese vs. whole milk yogurt and cottage cheese - you get the point. And these low-fat versions are just as flavorful as their high-fat precursors (with the exception of good cheese - go for full fat). The only difference you may notice is texture; most of the low-fat products are not as creamy.

Eating less meat may seem impossible (what will you eat for lunch and dinner?) but, people in most countries don’t eat as much meat as Americans and vegetarians survive; so, it can be done. The key is to use meat as a seasoning, such as the ham bone in split pea soup, instead of the greater part of your meal. Substitute beans, tofu, lentils, grains, and vegetables for the bulk of your meal. When you do make meat the center of your meal, be sure you’re not eating more than one portion (3-4 ounces or the size of a deck of cards) and that you choose a lean cut (fish, poultry, and pork tenderloin are good choices).

Make a sauce with tomato juice, chicken broth, wine, or beer instead of cream and you drastically reduce the amount of fat in your meal. You’ve added flavor without additional fat. My favorite way to add flavor without fat is using high-flavor seasonings. Cumin, garlic, lemon or lime juice, hot peppers, ginger, vinegar, sesame oil (you only need a little to get tons of flavor), soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili-garlic sauce, basil, oregano, curry powder, chili powder, and curry paste all provide lots of flavor and little fat.

References
[1] Willet, Walter. 2003. Razing the Pyramid. Eating Well Magazine, Winter Issue, 16-23. [cited 18 May 2007] Available from http://eatingwell.com/professionals/reproducibles/special_reports.html
[2] Sims, Laura S. The Politics of Fat: Food and Nutrition Policy in America. New York: M.E. Sharp, 1998.
[3] de Lorgeril, et al. “Mediterranean alpha-linolenic acid-rich diet in secondary prevention of coronary heart disease.” Lancet (1994): 343(8911): 1454-9.
[4] Milo, Linda. Science conjures the Essence of Flavors. PreparedFoods.com, March 2001. [cited 17 October 2003]
[5] USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Dietary Guidelines For Americans. [cited 18 May 2007] Available from http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DietaryGuidelines.htm