Now here’s a question that remains a mystery to many an individual who desires a more nutritious diet. Yes, there are such things as ‘good’ fats, an idea that might surprise some people. 

Our body needs fat, there’s no question about that. The problem is that we almost always opt for the unhealthy fat, the kind that gives us heart attacks and diabetes. A mindful approach to selecting your sources of fat will be of immense help to your plans of living a healthier life. 

It used to be thought that all fats were bad, but humans, the clever creatures that they are, realized that they were completely wrong about that fact and discovered conclusively that our bodies need fat to go about its human activities. According to the 2010 dietary guidelines for Americans, 20 to 35% of your calories must be obtained from your fat. 

However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’re yet to answer the question of what exactly good and bad fat is. Read on to learn more. 

What is Bad Fat?

Bad fats are those fats which are classified as saturated and trans-fats, terms which should be known to you. Fats that are examples of these harmful types are butter, pork, ghee and cream - all of which are extremely popular and used a little more than copiously. 

We don’t have to tell you that these are the kinds of fats that you should avoid. It’s true, they taste very good and make your food taste very good, but it’s generally believed that they are harmful for your health. To be fair, there has been some research which has returned no results linking saturated fats to heart diseases and strokes. However, that it is harmful is not an unreasonable assumption. 

What is Good Fat?

What then, is good fat, fat that is healthy and necessary? 

Let’s start with the technical terms again: good fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are the kind of fats you’ll find in olive oil (an ingredient whose praises are never unsung), avocados, nuts, safflower, Sunflower Oil, and many, many more. Polyunsaturated fats are the kind you’ll find in Flaxseed Oil, walnut oil and poppy seed oil. 

These are the fats you should be looking to add to your diet. 

Sources of Good Fat

We mentioned a few sources of good fats earlier, but here’s quite a comprehensive list of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats: Soybean oil, tofu, sunflower oil, olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, all the common kinds of nuts such as Cashews, Almonds and peanuts, avocados, olives, flaxseed oil and corn oil.ashews, Almonds and peanuts, avocados, olives, flaxseed oil and corn oil. 

Get these fats into your diet immediately! 

The Uses of Fat

Like we said before, fats are an absolute necessity for the body. They are necessary because they keep your arteries clean and prevent bad cholesterol from developing in the body. As it turns out, there is such a thing as good and bad cholesterol. 

Polyunsaturated fats are also believed to be preventatives for heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases. There are a range of diseases which polyunsaturated fats are supposed to fight against, but this ability to combat heart diseases is why so much emphasis is laid on them. 

There you have it - a quick rundown of good and bad fats, and why you should be opting for the good fats for dietary inclusion. You may not see the ill-effects of unhealthy fats early on in your life, but  they eventually take their toll on your heart. You can make the decision to eat only healthy fats and thus give your heart a huge advantage in longevity. The sources for good fats are plentiful, so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank or performing a long search for your sources. 

Your heart will be very grateful for the unclogged arteries and general wellness that polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats provide. Get started now.