5 Nutrients Cannot Be Neglected

3. Fats

Dietary fats are the most energy-dense nutrient, providing nine calories per gram. They provide backup energy when no glycogen is available. Besides, fats help the human body absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K). One of the three types of fats is unsaturated, which are found in high concentrations in nuts, seeds, avocados, fish, and olives. Unsaturated fats are considered beneficial mainly because they improve blood cholesterol levels.

On the other hand, saturated fats, found in high concentrations in dairy products, meat products, coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil, have been considered harmful for decades due to worsened blood cholesterol levels of people. Though recent studies suggest that frequent consumption of saturated fats is not associated with high risks for heart disease (1), we should prioritize unsaturated fats over saturated counterparts. Lastly, trans fat is "the worst type of fat for the heart, blood vessels, and rest of the body", according to the public health school of Harvard University (2). Artificial trans fat was banned in the U.S. but is naturally found in beef and dairy products in extremely small amounts.

• Reference: www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/types-of-fat/