The Skinny on Fats.

Not all fats are created equal.


This premise is important to understand, especially in today's society where fat has gotten a bad reputation.


There are three types of fats - good, bad, and really bad!


Good fats: unsaturated


Unsaturated fats are your best friend in terms of fats. They can reduce LDL (bad cholesterol).


There are two unsaturated fats: mono-unsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. 


Mono-unsaturated fats help lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and promote HDL (good cholesterol). 


Food sources include: olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts and seeds.


Polyunsaturated fats also help lower LDL and increase HDL. They also contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which promote heart health by decreasing coronary artery disease (CAD) and may lower blood pressure.


Food sources include: vegetable oils (such as safflower, corn, sunflower, soy and cottonseed oils), nuts and seeds


Omega-3 fatty acids may be obtained from: fatty, cold-water fish (such as salmon, mackerel and herring), flaxseeds, flax oil and walnuts


Bad fats: saturated


Consumption of these fats must be strictly limited to prevent possible coronary artery disease and other heart diseases. Saturated fats from animal sources are worse than those from plant sources.


Saturated fats are primarily bad for you due to their artery clogging nature. 


It is also proven that they increase total and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels.


Food sources include: animal products (such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, lard and butter), and coconut, palm and other tropical oils


If you choose to consume these fats, be especially careful not to eat much of them.


Really bad fats (seriously, these are dangerous): trans-fats


In a nutshell, trans-fats are a byproduct of a process known as hydrogenation - which converts liquid vegetable oil to a solid fat.


Why are these fats dangerous? Because they not only increase LDL (bad cholesterol), but actually decrease HDL (good cholesterol).


Food producers have used hydrogenation to increase profit while lowering costs when processing and producing food products.


These are probably the most widely heard about fats due to a rule in 2006 to force food producers to specify if, in fact, they use trans-fats in their foods.


This is one of the reasons you see manufacturers/producers touting claims like "0g trans fat!"


Be wary though, 0g trans-fat DOES NOT EQUAL healthy! Producers have replaced trans-fats with saturated fats (remember, those are bad) and may end up raising LDL (bad cholesterol).


Food sources include: partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, commercial baked goods (such as crackers, cookies and cakes), fried foods (such as doughnuts and french fries), shortening and margarine


Can I go on a "fat free" diet? How much fat should I really be eating?


First of all, anyone who claims all fat is bad has no knowledge of what they're talking about. Also, a "fat free" diet is dangerous and not recommended!


It is recommended that 30-35% of your caloric intake be from fat. Anything under 20% is dangerous.


When eating fats, limit your intake of saturated fats to 10% of your caloric intake.


Practical example: Let's say John Doe or Jane Doe can consume 2,000 calories per day.
Recommended: 600 to 700 calories from fat
Minimum: 400 calories from fat
Saturated Fat Maximum: 200 calories


Remember, John or Jane must consume more than 400 calories per day in fat in order to sustain healthy bodily functions.


A few pointers


Aim to choose unsaturated fats whenever possible. Most of your daily fat intake should come from these types of fats.


Change habits, a few examples include; cooking with olive oil, eating nuts or non-hydrogenated nut butter with celery or bananas for a snack, use avocados in sandwiches versus cheese, and eat fatty fish such as salmon.


Remember, not all fat is bad. Your body needs some fat to efficiently operate and sustain cells and organs.


Limit fat intake, be smart, and eat happily!


Thanks for reading!


- Asif Fasih