What You Should Know About Dietary Fats

While many assume that fat makes you fat, or that fat is “unhealthy”, this couldn’t be further from the truth. However, there is an important distinction that must be made in order to understand what types of fat are good for you, and what fats aren’t…

First, what is fat? Simply put, fat is one of three essential macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fat!

Furthermore, what is dietary fat? Found in most foods (like meat, poultry, dairy, and even some fruits & vegetables), fat is used for energy in the body, especially when in ketosis or a fasted state.

There are several different types of fat:

• Trans (processed);
• Saturated;
• Monounsaturated;
• Polyunsaturated;

Now that we understand what fat is and what types of fats are out there, let’s look at which ones are either good (healthy), or bad (unhealthy).

So, what can be classified as good fat? While there is no conclusive answer, saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats are generally all acceptable options if they derive from whole, natural food sources and oils.

1. Saturated fats: butter (ghee, grass-fed), cheese, coconut oil, etc;
2. Monounsaturated fats: avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds;
3. Polyunsaturated fats: meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs.

OK, so what are examples of bad fats? No matter what diet you follow, you want to avoid processed foods and trans fats at all costs. These are the unhealthy fats that are largely correlated with diseases, cancers, poor health markers, obesity, etc.

1. Trans fat: junk food like cookies, fast food, and low-grade oil like canola or sunflower oil.

That’s your two-minute digest of good fats vs. bad fats!

If you’re looking to kickstart your diet on a healthier path, use this knowledge to start choosing healthier alternatives. Fat isn’t universally bad, it’s about making smarter choices and becoming more informed!

Be sure to stay away from processed foods, and stick to the healthy fats listed throughout this article. Below are some great options to begin incorporating into your diet that contain healthy fats and other nutrients as well:

• Healthy oils such as coconut, olive, avocado;
• Avocados;
• Fatty grass-fed meat;
• Nuts & seeds;
• Eggs;
• Some fruit;
• Dark, leafy green vegetables.

Good luck!