How much fat do you need?

Health Canada recommends that you get about 30 per cent of your daily calories from fat, with only about 10 per cent of that coming from saturated fat.

Kids need fat, too

If your child needs to lose weight, be careful that you don't go overboard cutting fat from her diet. When researchers in one study looked at the food intake of children diagnosed with high cholesterol, they found that parents had arbitrarily reduced their children's fat intake to 23 per cent of their total calories. These children ate more sugar overall and had zinc and vitamin E deficiencies. Zinc is essential for growth and development and helps keep the immune system healthy, and vitamin E is an important antioxidant. The take-home message: if you have concerns about your child's weight, consult a registered dietitian for a healthy, child-friendly weight-loss plan.

More on fats
• The skinny on fats
• What about those trans fatty acids?
• 9 great ways to add healthy fat to your diet
• Nutty goodness
• 101 ways to cut fat from your diet