Oils

Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats. Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature. Other fats are solid at room temperature and all called solid fats. Solid fats comsist of shortenings and butters and margarines. In fact, oils and solid fats both contain about 120 calories per tablespoon.

Oils are a mjor source of fatty acids that are necessary for health—called “essential fatty acids. In addition to the essential fatty acids they contain, oils are a source of vitamin E. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils do not raise LDL(“bad”) cholesterol levels in the blood. Saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol tend to raise “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood, which in turn increases the risk for heart disease.