Let's "Unsaturate" the Fat Talk
Danielle Ford
Article Summary
The article Let's "Unsaturate" the Fat Talk by Megan Meyer was published in U.S. News on April 5, 2016. A brief introduction to the article starts by saying how fat has become a confusing topic and with this article there is hope to clear up the confusion. She then describes that fats are comprised of fatty acids and that there are two different types of fats, saturated and unsaturated. After explaining what fat is she gives information as to which type of fat to consume. She argues that you should replace unhealthy saturated fat with healthier unsaturated fat instead of only reducing total fat intake. In the final paragraph of this article she explains which foods contain which type of fat. She shows that there is a wide range of plant and animal derivatives that are sources of unsaturated fat such as lean meat, dairy, seafood, and plant oils. She finishes the article by reiterating the idea that it is more important to focus on the type of fat instead of the amount.
Article Critique
- The author of this article is Megan Meyer. She has her PhD and is the Manager of Nutrition Communications at the International Food Information Council. She is a creditable author due to the amount of research and knowledge she must acquire to obtain a PhD along with a management position at a large organization. Although it is impossible to rule out any personal bias she may have about the different types of fat and their effects on the body, the basic science behind facts that she explains can be trusted. She also has training in scientific research which adds validity to her stance on saturated fats because of the research she has done.
- The source of this article is U.S News. U.S. News is a trusted news source for the nation. This source contains credentials for the author and is updated frequently. The source also provides links to other creditable sources which adds to its validity.
- The information in this article is broken down in a way which makes it very easy to understand. Not only is it easy to understand, it is also a well written article that is based on scientific evidence. For example, the author gives basic scientific definitions of what saturated fats and unsaturated fats are. This definition is a scientific fat that cannot be refuted. The information also references sources such as Dietary Guidelines and American Heart Association with links to their findings that back up what the information is providing. In the information there is a quote from a study that goes against the article conclusion. After providing this quote, evidence is presented that explains why the study is incorrect. This article does not include any misleading information because most of the information provided are facts and definitions. All of these reasons create validity of the information provided in this article.