> Don't lump natural saturated fats in with artificially saturated trans fats. <

True, they're even worse... but *too* much saturated fat is considered
by most of the scientific community not to be heart healthy (...some
folks disagree, I realize, esp. Atkins et al... but that's not what I'm
saying).

Re blood cholesterol, there's a diff. between naturally saturated fats
and trans fats in the breakdown lipoprotein numbers :
.....saturated fats raise the levels of LDL (and elevated LDL is a risk
factor)...
"...trans fatty acids raise blood cholesterol though not as much as
saturated fats, however they raise "bad" cholesterol (LDL) *and they
also* lower the "good" cholesterol" (HDL) . . .


>> and that monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats have a protective influence ... <<

>Polyunsaturates are not the healthiest either. High monounsaturated levels are the best. <

I happen to agree with you, but I didn't find that sentiment
universally shared in all the research I did, so felt I should include
it. (The polyunsaturates containing Omega 3 are agreed upon at least.)

(Also, it's true that fat in foods contains a mixture of saturated,
monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids... and we're just
talking about the ones which have a high percentage of one or ther
other.)


Diane B.