As much as we all hate to admit it, many of us have been led astray by the narratives of diet culture. The low-fat foods craze of the 80s and 90s (hello, low-fat fro-yo) gave even healthy fats in food a bad rap—one that continues to dictate our food choices today. We tend to view fats as a big no-no, especially when we’re trying to eat ‘healthier’ or manage our weight.
It turns out, we’re thinking about fats all wrong. As is the case with many health-related topics, eating fats isn’t black and white, or in this case, ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ The nutritional value of fats is actually pretty nuanced—healthy fats do exist, and you can find them in more than just avocados!
Not only are some fats not bad for you, they can be essential for your health. To cut them out of your diet completely is to deprive yourself of essential building blocks for life. The first step to making smarter decisions about what’s on your plate is gaining a better understanding of the different types of fats. From there, you can choose which types of fats are necessary for your body to run most efficiently.
To teach us all about healthy fats, our resident nutritionist and fitness pro Kat B. breaks down what’s fact and fiction. Prefer to listen instead? Check out her 5-minute Wellness 101: Fats.
How much healthy fat should I be eating?
The American Heart Association recommends that your fat intake be about 25-35% of your overall daily calories. That translates to roughly 80 grams of fat per day, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. But here’s what you should know—not all fats are created equal. You want to aim for the ones that are going to help your body stay healthy, as opposed to the ones that don’t provide any nutritional value.
Why are healthy fats so important?
Fat is one of three macronutrients, along with protein and carbohydrates. The idea that fat should be avoided at all costs is outdated and flat-out wrong. Fat helps to protect your organs, so that you’re able to absorb nutrients from other foods, including ones that your body can’t produce on its own. It provides energy, enables your body to produce certain hormones, helps to regulate your body temperature, and so much more.
Fat is also part of what makes food taste delicious. Finding joy in eating is important for our mental health. Plus, fat also helps us feel full and satiated, which often stops us from mindless eating.
What are trans fats?
There are three kinds of fats: trans fats, saturated fats, and unsaturated fats. Trans fats get a lot of bad press for being bad fat, which is definitely justified. These are artificial fats that food companies have added to processed foods. Our bodies don’t need them, and they effectively provide no nutritional value to humans. The problem with trans fats is that they tend to raise your bad cholesterol while lowering your good cholesterol.
The FDA has banned trans fats, but some processed foods have still been found to have small amounts. Often if it’s under a gram—and therefore doesn’t have to go on a nutritional label—which has been a workaround to the ban. While consuming trans fats in quantities this small shouldn’t have a significant impact on the average person, it’s best to avoid or limit these processed foods as much as possible and stick to whole foods, which is the best path to good nutrition in most circumstances.
What are saturated fats?
Saturated fat naturally occurs in whole foods like dairy, red meat, cured meats, poultry, eggs, and plant oils. It also tends to run high in fried foods and baked goods due to the oils and butter or butter-like products involved in making them. It’s best to file saturated fats in your diet’s ‘in moderation folder’.
A lot of the foods that are high in saturated fat do have high nutritional value. While you don’t want to avoid them entirely, you do want to limit your saturated fat intake as it can raise your cholesterol, which then increases your risk for heart disease.
The American Heart Association recommends aiming to keep your saturated fat intake to about 5-6% of your overall calories a day, which is a relatively small percentage. However, there is a caveat here—some newer studies suggest that not all saturated fat is equally bad. Specifically, those from dairy sources like yogurt, milk, or butter may not be as harmful.
What are unsaturated fats?
Unsaturated fats can generally be referred to as healthy fats, particularly the ones high in omega-3s. This group includes foods like olives, avocados, nuts and seeds, and fatty fish like salmon and sardines. These foods with healthy fats may help lower the risk of developing heart disease, improve blood cholesterol levels, help with blood sugar control, and reduce inflammation.
However, you don’t need a ton of fat to get these benefits. Fat, even the healthy kind, tends to be very high in calories, so you want to keep your serving sizes in check to maintain overall health. The less desirable foods in this unsaturated group are high in Omega-6 fatty acids—like soybean, corn, and safflower oils, which have less nutrition and are often found in salad dressings and processed snacks.
How should I incorporate healthy fats into my daily diet?
It’s important to remember that when people get hyper-focused on a low-fat diet, it can actually lead to poor food choices in that they tend to opt for higher sugar-based and highly processed foods. Whole foods always win out nutritionally, and some fat—especially unsaturated fat—is not only good for us but necessary for survival. So enjoy that guacamole, the tasty piece of salmon, or olive oil dressing—you need it to survive and thrive!
You may also like
- Intimidated by Meal Prepping? 4 Expert Tips to Make It Easy
If you’re new to meal prepping, the idea of planning… Read more: Intimidated by Meal Prepping? 4 Expert Tips to Make It Easy - Why Extreme Weight Loss Diets Never (Ever) Work
Today, we’re diving into a topic that’s near and dear… Read more: Why Extreme Weight Loss Diets Never (Ever) Work - 5 Science-Backed Reasons You Shouldn’t Cut Out Carbs
As a child of the ‘90s, I was growing up… Read more: 5 Science-Backed Reasons You Shouldn’t Cut Out Carbs
One response to “What Are Healthy Fats, and Why Do We Need Them?”
Thanks for the info