All you need to eat: how much fat is too much?

THOUGH saturated fats are the kind chiefly implicated in heart disease, it is important to remember that an excess of fat - of any kind - is one of the biggest problems in our diet today. Certain cancers, in particular breast and colon cancer, are thought to be linked to a high fat intake. And, of course, an over-consumption of fat causes obesity - which itself increases your risk for high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, arthritis and other ills.

Most of us eat too much fat. What's a healthy limit? For adults not at risk for any chronic disease, such as heart disease or diabetes, nutritionists peg the upper fat limit at 30 per cent of daily calories. For those already afflicted, or at high risk for one of these illnesses, the limit is lower - 25 or even 20 per cent of total daily calories.

Remember that 1 gram of fat, whether saturated or unsaturated, brings in 9 calories. So if, say, a piece of chocolate brings in 10 grams of fat, that's 90 calories. If you're keeping to the 30 per cent upper limit for fat, in a 2000-calorie diet not more than 600 calories should come in from fat.

In brief, here's your action plan for controlling your fat intake:

Know how much fat is in the food you eat

Know the types of fat in the food you eat

Decrease the overall amount of fat in your diet, but saturated fats in particular.