Few people would deny that fat is a big problem in our society. It is also big business! How easily our TV-motivated culture is bandwagoned into eating gigantic hamburgers and buckets of deep-fat fries, then shamed into joining a health club, eating diet bread, or buying control-top pantyhose. Is it any wonder our lives are not happier and our bodies not healthier?

Let's clear up a few common misconceptions. First, there is fat, and then there are fats. The latter need not be singled out as the cause of the former. You can become fat as a result of eating excessive amounts of protein or carbohydrates, too. Second, healthy fats (essential fatty acids) are a necessary ingredient in a well-balanced diet. You must consume fats, period! The point is not to eliminate fats, but to supply the body with fats of a certain type and in a certain amount.

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