What are healthy fats?
Our bodies needs fats to do almost everything from building cells to thinking, however the type of fat in our diet is very important and you should understand the distinction between healthy fats and unhealthy fats.
Healthy Fats Pages
In a nutshell – these are the main fats in our diet
GOOD – Monounsaturated fats (mono-unsaturated fats)
Found in: Olive oil, avocadoes, almonds, pecas, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds.
If you consume mono-unsaturated fats compared to other fats, this will lower your risk of developing heart disease
GOOD – Polyunsaturated fats (poly-unsaturated fats)
Found in: sunflower oil, corn oil, walnuts and fish
These type of unsaturated fats also include the omega-3’s and fatty acids which our bodies cannot produce, yet are essential for good health. – So these are good – eat at least one portion a week
VERY GOOD – Omega 3 fats
Found in: salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, or sardines and capsules from health shops – One 500-mg capsule per day is sufficient. Omega 3 fats are amazing good for our body at boosting brain function and immune system
BAD – Saturated fat (Bad 
– but sometimes tasty)
Found in: meats and animal products, cheese and whole milk, coconut oil, palm oil and lower amounts are found inpoultry and fish.
We do not need to eat saturated fats (unless we like in the arctic to act like blubber) as our bodies produce saturated fats from any excess good fats we don’t burn up.
VERY BAD – Trans Fats
Found in: margarines, sweets, cookies, snack foods, baked foods (not all will contain trans fats, check the label) and processed meats. These are generally used as they keep products preserved for longer. look for “partially hydrogenated oil” in products as these are trans fats and should be avoided
Trans fats increase the levels of bad cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease or CHD
Fat chart – What fats are in common foods?
Image from helpguide.org
