With all the bad press that calories and fat receive, you’d think that they are bad things. While it’s true that many people eat far more fat and calories than is necessary, we all need a certain amount of fat and calories for growth and activities.

The term "calories from fat" refers to the percentage of calories in a serving of food that come from fat rather than from carbohydrates or protein. This figure is listed on nutrition labels for most foods.

Omega-3s are essential fatty acids that you can get by eating fish and some plant-based foods such as flaxseeds and nut oils. A study published in 2013 in “Plos One” showed schoolchildren with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood had better reading and memory skills and fewer behavioral problems.

Before the 1990s, doctors and public health officials warned against consuming saturated fats, prompting food establishments to switch from lard, an animal fat, to new partially hydrogenated oil products made from vegetable oil.

The United States Department of Agriculture sets recommendations for daily requirements of macro-nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats and protein as well as for vitamins and minerals. The Recommended Daily Allowance, or RDA, is intended to help people obtain adequate nutrition for health and wellness.

Fatty acids are composed of carbon atom chains with hydrogen atoms joined at one end and an acid group attached to the other. These are the major components in dietary fats or triglycerides.

Not only does the fat you eat help you enjoy your food and feel satisfied after meals, but it also plays important roles in your body. You store some fat for long-term energy needs and use some for short-term energy. Additionally, fat stores help cushion vital organs and protect nerve cells.

Fried, fatty foods have become a staple in the standard Western diet. Potato chips, french fries, chicken, burgers, snack foods and fried vegetables all contribute to the increase in fatty food consumption that plagues modern culture.

Pre-workout nutrition gives you the energy and nutrients to perform your best, but only if you eat the right kind of foods. Too-large servings or hard-to-digest foods can make you feel sluggish or nauseous, and they can send you to unexpected restroom stops, which puts a damper on your workout efforts.

Olive oil has taken on new importance for its antioxidant levels as well as for its heart- healthy unsaturated nature. Cooking with mostly monounsaturated olive oil rather than saturated fats such as lard can decrease your risk of heart disease.

Found in high quantities in coconut and palm kernel oils, lauric acid is considered a “healthier” saturated fat because it is a medium-chain triglyceride. As an MCT, lauric acid is more easily absorbed by the body and has a host of other associated health benefits, including potentially helping with weight loss.

When you shop for vegetable oil, you will encounter one type of canola oil but several forms of sunflower oil. Sunflower seeds go through different processes to produce oils with varying amounts of monounsaturated fats.