Do you think of fat as an enemy?

Do you think of fat as an enemy? You’re not alone. Most people feel that way. But you need to think of fat as a valuable nutrient that is not only important but actually essential in your diet.

Surprised? Consider all that fat does for you:

1. Fat helps control hunger. After we eat, fats linger in our stomachs, making us feel full longer so we aren’t inclined to eat again. That hunger control is the most immediate benefit of dietary fat.

2. Fat stores energy. Because humans, unlike cows, for instance, have more important work to do with our lives than eat constantly, our bodies need some way t...