How much fat do we need?

Do you know how much healthy fat you need each day, where to find them and why we even need them?The perfect plate should be consist of 2 handfuls of non starchy veg, 1 handful of carb a bit of healthy fat and 1 palm sized portion of protein. Healthy fats can be salmon, olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado.TypesA healthy diet should contain a balanceof saturated fatty acids (FA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs).The fats I really urge you all to consume are the omega-3 fatty acids. There are different types of omega-3 fatty acids, (ALA), (EPA) and (DHA). These cannot be synthesised in the body and must be obtained from our diet or through supplementation - hence the term ‘essential’. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids can be found in oily fish with some plant forms such as nuts and seeds only containing ALA. ALA is processed into DHA and EPA once inside the body although the speed of conversion may vary in different individuals and this is often the reason that vegetarians and vegans need supplementation.Omega-6 (n-6) is also found in nuts and seeds, most frequently linoleic acid (LA). LA is an essential fatty acid but in excess may also plays a role with inflammation and contributes to disease. It is for this reason that researchers suggest lowering the ratio of n-6 intake and increasing n-3 as a preventative measure for various neurodegenerative diseases.Why we need fatThe brain has the highest concentration of fats (lipids) after adipose tissue, which is another reason why our cognitive health relies upon a healthy fat consumption.It is advised that 20-35% of the total daily energyintake should come from dietary sources of fats. As fat has many essential biological functions, the total consumption should not be lower than 15-20%.  The advice to keep saturated fatty acid (SFA) consumption below 10% stems from its LDL cholesterol raising potential and effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Some guidelines suggest keeping saturated fat intake as low as possible. The recommendations for trans fatty acids are mainly to keep the intake either as low as possible as it has been convincingly shown that they can raise the bad cholesterol and lower the good cholesterol.