FAT IS GOOD! Fat is indispensable in manufacturing cell membranes because it is non-soluble in water. Fat contributes to the composition of tissue and muscles in our body. Some of fat’s synonyms: Confusing? Let me help. Fat, fatty acid, essential fatty acid, lipid, glycerol, glycogen, body fat, saturated fat, unsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, oil, waxes, hydrogenated fat, trans fat, cholesterol. The first thing to know about fats is that they are composed of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, just like sugars and carbohydrates are. Fats are members of a larger group of substances called lipids. Other lipids are fatty acids, oils, waxes, and sterols. The molecular structures of these substances define their differences and how they react digestively and metabolically. Fats are composed of one molecule of a substance called glycerol bound together with three molecules of other substances called fatty acids. Glycerol consists of over 20 different fatty acids that bond in different configurations depending on the intended function of the fat in your body. Fat is digested as it makes its way through the mouth, down the esophagus, through the stomach, and to the small intestine where it comes into contact with the pancreatic enzyme lipase. Lipase breaks the fat down into its constituents of glycerol and fatty acids. These are then absorbed through the intestinal walls and directly to the body tissue/organs by way of the blood stream. The liver is one of the organs it accumulates in; it is then made into cholesterol and carried to the cells as building blocks for new cells. Words like "saturated," "monounsaturated," and "polyunsaturated" define fats, particularly on ingredient labels. They are different depending on how many hydrogen atoms are linked to carbon. While saturated fat predominately comes from animal products, coconut and chocolate are the only common plant products. Monounsaturated fat comes from fruit nut trees such as olive, hazelnut and macadamia. Polyunsaturated fat comes from vegetables and seeds. There are mixed reports about the positives and negatives of saturated fatty acids. Some say there is a direct relationship between the amount of saturated fat and the incidence of cholesterol. Other reference materials state that saturated fats are linked to the incidence of certain types of cancer as well. Even others still advise that decreasing the consumption of saturated fats will reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, many reports say saturated fats have beneficial biological effects. All nutritionists agree hydrogenated fats, otherwise known as trans fats, are always bad and can kill you. A new European study found that cell walls built with either animal fat, or vegetable fat derived from fruit nut trees, permit the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide easier than cell walls built with fat from vegetable seeds, such as corn and rapeseed. Thus, fats from nuts and animal sources provide you with more energy.  Nutrients in our food get converted to cholesterol by our liver. Cholesterol can also be made by glands in our skin call sebaceous glands. These glands release an oily substance onto the surface of our skin. The cholesterol made in the sebaceous glands is immediately converted to another compound called 7-dehydrocholesterol. When ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun hit our skin, their energy causes the 7-dehydrocholesterol to rearrange pre-vitamin D3 into pre- vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium in the intestines, and thus to build bones. The vitamin was first identified for its ability to prevent rickets. Now, is cholesterol bad for you? Well your body builds cholesterol, and “No cholesterol, No Vitamin D... No Vitamin D, No Calcium... No Calcium, No Bones! Simple as that. Cholesterol is necessary for the body to function and isn’t bad for you. It is vital. Scientific evidence in support of the cholesterol campaign is non-existent. For decades, enormous human and financial resources have been wasted on the “lower your cholesterol” campaign. Manufacturers of animal food all over the world have suffered economically, and millions of healthy people have been frightened into eating a tedious and flavorless diet or into taking potentially dangerous drugs for the rest of their lives. New guidelines, aimed at even more aggressive cholesterol lowering, will result in millions more people being placed on statins and needlessly suffering. Evidence for a more aggressive treatment showed that the lower your cholesterol level has no health benefits. On the contrary, it might kill you.