Fats provide energy that is easily stored in the body. They are important in helping the body to get and use some of the vitamins it needs. Fats also protect the body from injury.
Foods that are mainly oil include cooking oils, mayonnaise, certain salad dressings, and soft margarine. Some other foods that are very high in oil are some types of fish, avocado, and nuts.
Most of the fat is in the form of polyunsaturated (PUFA) or monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acids. Certain quantity of PUFA is essential for the body and so fats and oils are included in the food pyramid.
As per the Food Pyramid, the allowance for this group of foods is 3 – 7 teaspoons per day. Food Serving and Calories table provides information on how much of these and some other foods constitute a serve and the calorie content of the serve.
