**3.3 Fats**

Fats are an essential part of a healthy diet and they should not be evaded they should be consumed daily. Evidence is uncertain for an ideal amount of total fat intake for people with diabetes. Therefore, goals should be individualized. Fat quality appears to be far more imperative than quantity.

The amount of dietary fat, cholesterol, and trans-fat recommended for people with diabetes is the same as that recommended for the general population, i.e. >10% of Total energy intake (TEI) from monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), of TEI from polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), of TEI from saturated fatty acid (SFA) and nil Trans-fats. Besides glycaemic index and glycaemic load, saccharide counting does not take into account protein or fat content but, stimulation of insulin release is multifactorial [5].

Protein and fat, if consumed in large amounts can slow down the breakdown of Saccharide from the meal causing the blood glucose level to rise gradually. Fat delays gastric emptying releasing glucose slowly and hence does not cause an immediate spike in blood glucose level.
