Conquer your fear of dietary fat

Here's why you need more fat (the right kind) in your diet — not less.

For decades, the message was loud and clear: high intake of fat causes weight gain, heart disease, and maybe even cancer. The solution? Go low-fat. Unfortunately, that often meant consuming more carbs and more sugar.

Today, that advice is considered misguided. Nutritionists now suggest people actually need adequate amounts of fat for optimal health — but only the right kind.