Fats 101 - Good Fats vs. Bad Fats

It's a fact that we all need fat in our diets. Fats are an essential source of energy, help with nutrient absorption and act as carriers to important fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K. They can also contribute to cardiovascular disease, cancer, weight gain and diabetes when consumed in large amounts. The key is to understand the good fats from the bad fats. Let's take a closer look at the good (unsaturated) fats and the bad (saturated) fats...

Good Fats

Monounsaturated Fats

nuts Foods containing monounsaturated fats lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, while possibly raising HDL (good) cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats are found in natural foods such as cashews, olives, peanuts, almonds, avocados and pistachios. Olive oil is about 75% monounsaturated fat while Canola oil is about 60% monounsaturated fat.

Polyunsaturated Fats

fish Polyunsaturated fats can be found mostly in grain products, fish and seafood. These are often a good source of omega-3 fatty acids which are thought to lower blood pressure, combat LDL (bad) cholesterol, battle inflammation and protect the brain and nervous system.

Bad Fats

Saturated

egg Saturated fats mainly come from animal products such as eggs, milk, meat but are also found in tropical oils such as coconut and palm. You can easily identify saturated fats as they stay solid at room temperature. They directly raise cholesterol levels and should be avoided as much as possible.

Trans Fat

cake Trans fats are man made and are also referred to a hydrogenated. The process used to create the Trans fat consists of converting liquid vegetable oil to solid fats. They are abundant in many processed foods. Trans fats raise total and LDL cholesterol and well as decrease HDL cholesterol.