Fat: The Good and the Bad

Fat: The Good and the Bad

Fat has a bad reputation. Most who are health conscious try to stay away from it. This is largely for good reason- after all fatty foods should only make up about 20% to 25% of your daily caloric intake. However, there are good fats and there are bad fats. Knowing which are good and how they are good will help you make healthier choices with your diet.

There are four types of fats: two good and two bad. The two good fats are polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Sources of these fats include tofu, soy, olives, nuts, avocado, fish, and some oils.  The two bad fats are trans fats and saturated fats. Sources of these fats include butter, cheese, ice cream, and candy bars. While the good fats are heart healthy choices that can help lower cholesterol and reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, the bad fats do the exact opposite.

Good fats are essential to a balanced diet. An example of a fatty food that is a healthy choice is fish, a polyunsaturated fat. It is said that you would ideally eat approximately two to four servings of fish a week. While you should attempt to make 20% to 25% of your diet fatty foods, only a small portion of this should come from saturated fats. Only 1% of your diet should come from trans fats. Whiles the healthy fats are a heart healthy choice they also are generally a good source of protein, an essential nutrient for building muscle.

As far as non-healthy fats are concerned, you must attempt to moderate your consumption. You can limit your consumption of saturated fats by not frying your foods, using low-fat dairy products, and removing skin from chicken that you eat. Trans fats are a natural fat that manufacturers hydrogenate to increase its shelf life. Trans fats are also called solid fats as they remain solid at room temperature while polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats are oily at room temperature. You may reduce your intake of trans fats by eating less baked goods, choosing soft margarine rather than hard and reading food labels.