In today’s ever growing nutrition-conscious culture, we are all being told to avoid all fats. Fats are bad, fats are evil! But what we aren’t told is that we actually need some types of fats to maintain our health. There are good fats and there are bad fats, and this here is a bit of an explanation to help you know the difference. It gets a bit technical, but take from it any information that can help you to make healthy decisions in your life.

How Do I Get the Fats I’m Supposed to?

To meet the total fat recommendation of 20 to 35 percent of calories, most dietary fats should come from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Sources of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids are liquid vegetable oils, including soybean oil, corn oil, and safflower oil. Plant sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids include soybean oil, canola oil, walnuts, and flaxseed. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are omega-3 fatty acids that are contained in fish and shellfish. Fish that naturally contain more oil, like salmon, trout, and herring, are higher in EPA and DHA than are leaner fish such as cod, haddock, and catfish.

To decrease their risk of elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood, most Americans need to decrease their intakes of saturated fat and trans fats, and many need to decrease their intake of cholesterol. Because men tend to have higher intakes of dietary cholesterol, it is especially important for them to meet this recommendation.

What Does This All Mean?

What it generally all boils down to is this: the bad fats (saturated and trans fats) increase your risk of certain diseases, while good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) lower the risk. The key is to know what types of fats are found in the foods you eat, and to make smart choices about your body. Cholesterol can play a big part in becoming unhealthy if too much is taken into the body. But although it is still important to limit the amount of cholesterol you eat, especially if you have diabetes, dietary cholesterol isn’t nearly the villain it’s been portrayed to be. Cholesterol in the bloodstream is what’s most important. High blood cholesterol levels greatly increase the risk for heart disease. But the average person makes about 75% of blood cholesterol in his or her liver, while only about 25% is absorbed from food. The biggest influence on blood cholesterol level is the mix of fats in the diet.

For those always struggling with their weight, cutting all fat out of the diet is not the healthiest way to lose weight. It does not even guarantee you will lose weight. What is important is the type of fats that are consumed. Constantly consuming the bad fats leads to health risks, while good fats reduce the risks. Seems like a pretty simple choice.

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