Cleveland Clinic Reports
Quick Summary
There are different kinds of fat in food. “Bad” fat can contribute to concerning health issues such as weight gain, heart disease and high cholesterol. “Good” fat is essential for your body and can boost your health. These good fats may help you better control your weight.
Key Points
- Unsaturated fat is the kind of dietary fat you want on your plate at mealtime. This is typically found in plants and fish.
- There are two types of unsaturated fats, with the difference coming down to molecular bonding.
- Monounsaturated fats are the best sources of fat and are typically found in nuts, olives, seeds, avocados and peanut butter.
- Some polyunsaturated fat can improve your heart health, sharpen brain activity, help your vision, fight inflammation and support your immune system. The best sources are fatty fishes like salmon, tuna and herring.
- Saturated fats can increase your risk of heart-related issues, make your cholesterol levels spike and cause inflammation. These typically come from animal sources.
- Trans fats are the worst kinds of fats and were banned by the FDA in 2018.
The article state:
Overall, what you should strive to achieve in your diet are moderation and balance. “So often, we fall into the notion of just thinking fats are bad,” says Taylor. “But we need some fats, and there’s a place in your diet for small amounts of these foods.”