Fat is a rich source of energy, made up of building blocks called fatty acids. These are classified as saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Some of these are essential components of the diet but others can be detrimental to our health if too much is consumed. And it is more than just the amount of fat consumed, the types of fat you eat really matters.
Bad fats increase cholesterol and your risk of certain disease, while good fats protect your heart and support overall health. In fact, good fats – such as omega 3 fats – are essential to physical and emotional health.
Bad fats:
– Commercially-baked goods (cookies, crackers, cakes, muffins, pie crusts, pizza
dough, breads like hamburger buns)
– Packaged snack foods (crackers, microwave popcorn, crisps, sweets)
– Solid fats (margarine, vegetable shortening)
– Fried foods (chips, chicken nuggets, breaded fish, hard taco shells)
– Pre-mixed products (cake mix, pancake mix, chocolate milk)
– Anything with “partially hydrogenated” oil listed in the ingredients
Good fats:
– Avocados
– Olives (oil)
– Nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecan, cashews)
– Natural peanut butter (containing just peanuts and salts)
– Fatty fish
