First, there are good fats and bad fats. Good fats are monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fats. Bad fats are trans fats, which you probably already know from the news surrounding it and it’s link to cancer.

Good monounsaturated fats include peanuts, almonds, avocados, olives and olive oil. Examples of good polyunsaturated fats are walnuts, salmon, trout, mayonnaise and sunflower seeds. (Polyunsaturated fats should not be used for cooking, but they are healthy to eat.) Dairy and poultry are examples of saturated fats that should be included in a healthy diet.

Bad trans fat comes in shortening, hydrogenated margarine and many prepackaged items, like cookies. Read labels before you buy food, especially prepackaged foods, to make sure there is no trans fat that could harm your health.

To completely understand fats as essential to proper nutrition, it’s important to also know the difference between good oils and bad oils. A food that is full of good fat does not necessarily mean that the oil from that food is also healthy. For example, walnuts are a good fat, but walnut oil is bad for your health. Other bad oils are sunflower oil, soybean oil, sesame oil and flaxseed oil. Healthy oils include macadamia oil, peanut oil, canola oil, coconut oil and olive oil.
Eliminating all fat from the diet is unhealthy and can cause health problems. Not only do these healthy fats provide nutrition necessary for health, they also add vitamins to the diet. For example, almonds, a monounsaturated fat, provide 14 grams of good fat per serving and have Calcium and Iron. A serving of sunflower nuts (the nut is inside of the seed), a polyunsaturated fat, contains about 19 grams of good fat. In addition, sunflower nuts are full of Magnesium, Potassium, Iron and Vitamin E, all essential for a healthy diet.

Stop thinking of all fats as the enemy. Start thinking of good fats as part of a healthy diet, full of nutrition and vitamins. Include them in your diet in moderation, along with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and exercise for optimal health.

Gina Clark writes on nutrition and fitness. Visit her blog for healthy tips to improve the quality of your life.