In this modern day and age it seems paradoxical to talk of eating fat for health. Yes, we had Atkins but let's face it, that was an extreme (if efficacious) program for weight-loss that had no concern for the health of the body. If anything it consolidated our idea of dietary fat as public enemy number one, blamed for everything from obesity and heart disease to high cholesterol.

The resulting fear and avoidance of fats has dire repercussions for human health. Simply put, your body NEEDS fats. Your brain NEEDS fats. Virtually every system in the human organism requires fats for healthy function. The body uses fatty acids for everything from building cell membranes to performing key functions in the brain, eyes and liver.

Cutting fat out of your diet is as disastrous for your health as it is unappetising for your palate. And your palate is important. It is the fat in your meal that sends the message to your brain that your body is satiated, allowing your body to self-regulate its need for food, one of the simplest and most effective methods of preventing over-eating. It also allows you get the benefits of the vitamins in your food. The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K can only be absorbed when fat is present.

Organs That Rely On Fat Include:

• Brain - Fats compose 60% of our brains, and are crucial for its effective functioning. Fats are essential for functions such as memory retention and learning abilities, as well as regulating moods.
• Heart - The most important organ in the body gets 60% of its energy from burning fats. Specific fats also help to keep the heart beating in a regular rhythm.
• Lungs - Lung surfactant, which enables the lungs to work and prevents them from collapsing, requires a high concentration of saturated fats.
  

However, it would be wrong to suggest that fat came by its scary reputation for no reason, or that all fats are good for you.  If you consume excessive amounts of the wrong fats your heart and your body WILL suffer. So you need to be wise about the fats that you take in.

While it is saturated fats that have the bad reputation, they are fine in moderation. In fact, virgin coconut oil, one of the richest sources of saturated fats is incredibly good for you. Trans-fats are beyond question the most damaging fats, and should be avoided wherever and whenever possible.

If you think of 'good' fats, vegetable oils such as olive oil immediately spring to mind. These monounsaturated fats, which are found in avocados, pumpkin and sesame seeds as well as nuts like almonds, hazelnuts and pecans, are easy to get into your diet. SImply pour over salads or sprinkle over dishes. Avocado makes a great snack at any time. Simply halve, stone and fill the hollow with houmous or sunblush tomatoes and dig in! People who follow traditional Mediterranean diets, which are very high in monounsaturated fats, tend to have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease.

However, make sure to always look for cold-pressed oils. These might be slightly more expensive but they are absolutely worth it. Heat extraction damages the oils' molecular structure, which compromises their nutritional benefits. This is even more crucial when dealing with polyunsaturated fats like sunflower, corn, soybean and flaxseed oils.

Polyunsaturated fats are the ones that contain heart and brain-friendly Omega-3s, and are the most fragile. They are best kept in the fridge in dark glass containers (to prevent them from being damaged by heat and light). Unsurprisingly, this makes them unsuitable for cooking with. Instead, use them in salad dressings and as a base for home-made houmous, or sprinkle salads with raw shelled walnuts.

Saturated fats are the most maligned, blamed for raising low-density lipoprotein (LDL or 'bad' cholesterol) which is associated with coronary disease. They are found in animal sources like red meat and dairy products. Other sources are tropical vegetable oils such as coconut and palm oil.  Virgin coconut oil is in fact amazingly good for you, not least because its stable structure allows it to be used in cooking without the creation of harmful trans-fats.  It is packed with antioxidants, and reduces the body's need for vitamin E.  It also promotes healthy thyroid function.  Whole, organic animal fats also have their part to play in the healthy human body. They are a rich source of energy and supply various amino acids that the body cannot produce itself.  It is perfectly possible, and indeed desirable, to enjoy saturated fats in moderation.

Trans-fats are normal fat molecules which have been twisted and deformed during a process called hyrogenation.  No amounts of trans-fats are healthy.  A lack of good fats in the diet leads to the body using the damaged trans-fats as a source of energy instead, which has been linked to major health risks from heart disease to cancer.

Unfortunately, trans-fats are found in everything from margarine to almost all packaged snack foods (like biscuits, crisps, sweets etc).  They are used for frying in fast-food restaurants and in many commercial baked goods.

Avoiding Trans-fats

• Always read the labels.  If a product lists 'partially hydrogenated oil' in its ingredients walk away.  Or maybe run.
  
• Unless you know a restaurant has eliminated trans-fats don't chance it.  Avoid anything fried or baked.

By now most of us are aware of some of the potential benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids, which the body uses to build cell membranes in the brain and to control blood clotting. While we are still discovering the many benefits of Omega-3s, it is known that they reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease, as evidenced in epidemiologic and clinical trials.

They are also highly significant for brain function and mental health. A study by the University of Pittsburgh concluded that the Omega-3 fatty acid DHA reduces symptoms of depression, probably because it increases grey matter in the brain. A university study in Finland found that eating oily fish (which are high in Omega-3s) lowers the likelihood of developing 'silent' brain lesions that can cause memory loss and dementia.

Nevertheless, no matter how many studies you read, however convincing, there is nothing like personal experience to convince you of the veracity of their claims. As someone who suffers quite severely with mental health issues, I have tried various different methods of managing my condition, from conventional to alternative medicines. While there are many wonderful herbs and vitamins you can take to increase health and vitality, my personal recommendation would be this:

If you only ever take ONE supplement, make it a good quality Omega-3.

From experience, I really cannot recommend this enough. When I have insufficient fatty acids in my diet I experience 'brain fog'. I become uncoordinated, forgetful and anxious. I find myself slipping into a grey world of depression that I feel like I will never get out of. Nothing provides such effective relief as an Omega-3 suppement. Taken regularly, they make me a different person. An alert, happy, functioning individual.

I realised how indispensible they were to my health when I was at university and flat broke. Pricey supplements were the last thing on my mind. So when my Omega-3s ran out I never got round to buying more. And for a while I was fine. But then the lethargy began. The confusion. The anxious feeling of just not quite being alert, of feeling around in a fog. Then full-blown depression. It was only having nearly failed my exams that I realised I had to get help.

First I went to my doctor, who prescribed Seroxat. If being on it was bad, coming off it was worse. When after only three months I had to stop taking it, my side-effects (including night-sweats, hallucinations, dizziness and nausea) being so severe, I was absolutely amazed that NOT taking something could make me so sick. For the month of withdrawal I felt like I had electric currents running over my face, severe vertigo, uncontrollable cold sweats and constant nausea.

Eventually I went to an alternative health practitioner who recommended Omega-3s and a B-vitamin supplement (for stress). The relief I experienced wasn't quite immediate (it took about a month) but it was profound. Of course, I did wonder if it was coincidental. I had made other changes in my life, including forcing myself to take more exercise and working less. However, over the years it has become evident that the one thing that most powerfully helps me to manage my mental health are Omega-3s.

Of course, you DO NOT need to take a supplement for optimal health. It works for me, but you can find Omega-3s in a number of delicious foods. The three key Omega-3s are alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The best sources of all three are oily fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines. However, there are concerns about toxins such as heavy metals, which are known to build up in scavenger fish. Some people also believe that cooking destroys the delicate oils, rendering their benefits ineffective.

The other option is to get your Omega-3s from foods rich in ALA fatty acids, such as flax seeds and flax seed oil, as well as walnuts and soybeans. This can be a great option. Sprouted golden flaxseeds make a great addition to muesi, yogurt, salads etc, while the buttery-tasting oil is good in salads, as well as as a base for houmous and other dips and spreads. However, not all people have the ability to convert ALA into EPA and DHA, and for optimal health you really need all three. So to be on the safe side, it's worth getting some oily fish in your diet as well.

If you do decide to take a supplement, the following are useful guidelines:

• Choose supplements that are mercury-free, pharmaceutical grade and molecularly distilled.
• Make sure the supplement contains both DHA and EPA. They are slightly harder to find, but preferentially you want one with a higher concentration of EPA. A good ratio is 3:2 (EPA:DHA).
• Always check the expiration date. These are living foods, so the fresher the better.