The question about how much fat a healthy diet should contain is still being hotly debated today.

Some professional dietitians advice to keep your fat intake at very low levels, others argue that moderate and even high fat intake is the way to go.

However, the consensus seems to be that about 20% of your daily calories should come from fat.

Why? It is believed that fat cannot be stored as muscle glycogen, which makes it likely to be stored as body fat. In addition, fat is calorie dense, so it is easy to consume too many calories.

While some people avoid fat like the plague, some dietary fat is necessary for good health. Dietary fat has many functions:

• Fat is necessary for proper absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
• Fat aids in the absorption of Vitamin D
• Fat insulates the body and protects our organs

At 9 calories per gram, fat provides plenty of energy, which helps keep hunger at bay. While you watch your total fat calories, try to get more of those calories from unsaturated fats from plant and fish sources, and fewer calories from saturated fats.

And remember to avoid trans fat altogether.