Good fat vs. bad fat

Choosing a healthy fat.

Fat is an important part of a healthy diet. It is important to focus on eating more healthy or “good” fats.

These fats can help to:

• Lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.

• Lower bad LDL cholesterol levels,

• Increasing good HDL.

• Prevent abnormal heart rhythms.

• Lower triglycerides

• Lower blood pressure.

• Prevent atherosclerosis

Adding more of healthy fats to your diet may also help to make you feel more satisfied after a meal, reducing hunger and help promoting weight loss.

Monounsaturated fat sources include:

• Olive, canola, peanut, and sesame oils

• Avocados

• Olives

• Nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews)

• Peanut butter

Polyunsaturated fat sources include:

• Sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds

• Flaxseed

• Walnuts

• Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines)

• Fish oil

• Soybean and safflower oil

• Soymilk

• Tofu

Avoid the “bad fats” such as Trans fat, that are found in:

• Commercially-baked pastries, (cookies, doughnuts, muffins, cakes, pizza dough)

• Packaged snack foods (crackers, microwave popcorn, chips)

• Margarine, vegetable shortening

• Fried foods (French fries, fried chicken)

• 
  

Saturated fat, although not as harmful as trans fat , they can raise bad LDLD cholesterol. Best consumed in moderation (limit to 10% of daily calories)

• Red meat (beef, lamb, pork)

• Chicken skin

• Whole-fat dairy products (milk, cream, cheese)

• Butter

• Ice cream

• Lard