The Skinny About Fat

I had never heard of a bacon, cheese, pizza burger until I took my nephew out to lunch in Virginia and he ordered one.  The old "heart attack on a plate" does not begin to describe this creation.

The USDA sites the main sources of saturated fatty acids in the American diet as:  cheese, pizza, grain based desserts   or dairy based desserts, chicken and chicken mixed dishes, sausages, franks, bacon and ribs**The consumption of foods with saturated fats or transfats leads to elevated levels of total blood cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. 

**Figure 3-4. Sources of Saturated Fat in the Diets of the  U.S. Population

Chapter 3, page 26, USDA Dietary Guidelines

I don't know how you even  begin to eat this sandwich, but if it is a food you enjoy, try eating it infrequently.  Changing your eating habits is difficult and new behaviors are something you acquire over time.  Healthy eating patterns need to be a conscious choice.

Not all fats are created equal. It is the type of fat consumed that influences the risk of cardiovascular disease.I hope the lists below will help you make better choices about preparing and consuming food.

Some examples of saturated fats, starting with the worst are*:
coconut oil
palm kernel oil
butter
beef fat
palm oil
pork fat
chicken fat
shortening
stick margarine

Some examples of good mono and poly unsaturated fats are*:
cottonseed oil
soft margarine
peanut oil
soybean oil
olive oil
corn oil
sunflower oil
canola oil
safflower oil
*Figure 3-3. Fatty Acid Profiles of Common Fats and Oils
Chapter 3, page 25, USDA Dietary Guidelines, 2010

Remember that your body does not need saturated fatty acids or synthetic trans fats.* These fats are solid at room temperature, or in the case of synthetic trans fats, they are vegetable oils that have been hydrogenated.   There are natural trans fatty acids that good nutrition requires which are found in meat and milk products. To reduce fat consumption,  cook with lean meats and use low fat or non fat milk products.
*Chapter 3, page 24, USDA Dietary Guidelines, 2010