Nutrition Basics: Fats - August 2, 2009

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Nutrition Basics: Fats

You might think that avoiding all fat will help you lose weight. But the fact is, your body needs fat to survive. Fat is a source of energy. It is used by your body to make substances it needs and fat helps your body absorb certain vitamins. But not all fats are the same. Some are better for your health than others. To help prevent heart disease and stroke, most of the fats you eat should be monounsaturated (mon-oh-uhn-SACH-uh-ray-tid) and polyunsaturated (pol-ee-uhn-SACH-uh-ray-tid) fats.

Foods high in monounsaturated fats include:

Olive oil
Peanut oil
Canola oil
Avocados
Most nuts

Foods high in polyunsaturated fats include:

Safflower oil
Corn oil
Sunflower oil
Soybean oil
Cottonseed oil

Learn more about fats.

What's New on the Woman Activity Tracker?

Setting goals is a good way to stay on track. When you set a goal for your Woman Activity Tracker, you set the total amount of moderate and vigorous physical aerobic activity you would like to complete in a week, including how many days of muscle-strengthening activity you would like to complete. You can change your goals as you go. Bonus quizzes help you make up for those weeks when you miss a goal by adding 20 minutes of moderate activity to help you toward your weekly goals.

Learn more about the setting goals.

New Bonus Quiz!

Are you a Quiz Mastermind? Find out by taking this week's quiz, Fat Facts. Get all five questions correct and earn 20 extra minutes of moderate-intensity activity toward your weekly goal!

Take this week's Bonus Quiz!