For years, we’ve been told to avoid fat.
But here’s the truth: fats are not inherently bad. In fact, some fats are essential for your health and help your body run the way it’s supposed to.
You just need to know which ones to keep in your diet and which ones to limit. Once you get that down, healthy eating becomes way easier.
Let’s break down the difference between good fats and bad fats. I’ll also cover which ones your body absolutely needs.
In This Article:
• What Are Fats and Why Do We Need Them?
• Types of Fats: Good vs Bad
• What Are Good Fats?
• What Are Bad Fats?
• Why Does Your Body Need Good Fats?
• How Much Fat Should You Eat Per Day?
• Quick List: Good Fat Foods to Add to Your Diet
• Quick List: Bad Fat Foods to Limit in Your Diet
• Frequently Asked Questions: Good Fats vs Bad Fats
• Final Thoughts
What Are Fats and Why Do We Need Them?
Fat is one of the three main nutrients your body uses for energy. The other two being protein and carbs.
Fats help your body:
• Absorb fat-soluble vitamins (like A, D, E, and K)
• Support brain and hormone health
• Reduce inflammation
• Build healthy cells
• Give you long-lasting energy
But not all fats help you in the same way. Some are good for you, and some are less favorable when eaten in large amounts.
Types of Fats: Good vs Bad
There are four main types of fats found in food:
| Fat Type | Healthy or Not? | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Unsaturated Fat | Healthy | Olive oil, nuts, seeds, fatty fish |
| Saturated Fat | Some is necessary, but don’t overdo it | Butter, red meat, coconut oil |
| Natural Trans Fat | Can be good and bad | Some natural fats in meat and dairy |
| Artificial Trans Fat | Mostly bad, use sparingly | Fried foods, baked goods, processed snacks |
Now let’s look at each one more closely…
What Are Good Fats?
Unsaturated fats are good fats. This is true for both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
They’re found in natural, whole foods and support your heart, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels (1).
Monounsaturated Fats (MUFA)
These fats help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol without lowering “good” HDL cholesterol (2).
Foods with monounsaturated fats include:
• Olive oil
• Avocados
• Nuts (almonds, peanuts)
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower oil
Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFA)
These include essential omega-3 and omega-6 fats. They’re called essential fatty acids because our bodies can’t make them on their own. It’s essential that we get them in our diet.
Omega-3s are especially important. They help reduce inflammation, improve brain function, and support heart health (3).
Foods with polyunsaturated fats include:
• Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel)
• Flaxseeds
• Walnuts
• Chia seeds
• Canola oil
What Are Bad Fats?
It’s actually really misleading to call them bad fats. Fats that get called “bad” aren’t dangerous when eaten in moderation, but some you should avoid more than others.
Saturated Fats
These fats aren’t harmful when eaten in moderation as a part of an overall healthy diet (4). They’re found in natural foods like meat and dairy, and have some benefits.
For instance, they may play a role in regulating levels of certain hormones like testosterone (5). This isn’t totally understood, but it’s one potential benefit of them.
However, too much saturated fat can raise LDL cholesterol, AKA bad cholesterol (6). So it’s best to eat these in moderation and not over-consume them.
Common saturated fat sources include:
• Butter
• Cheese
• Fatty cuts of meat
• Coconut oil
• Palm oil
Artificial Trans Fats (The Real Bad Fats)
These are the fats I recommend avoiding as much as you can.
Artificial trans fats are made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oils to make them solid at room temperature. Some examples are shortening and margarine.
They’ve been linked to (7, 8):
• Higher inflammation
• Increased risk of heart disease
• Poor cholesterol levels
• Increased risk of different cancers
Common foods with artificial trans fats include:
• Fried foods (fries, donuts)
• Packaged cookies, pies, and cakes
• Microwave popcorn
• Some frozen pizzas
• Processed snack foods
Whenever possible, cut these out of your diet completely. They don’t provide any real benefit, but they do have several risk factors associated with them.
Why Does Your Body Need Good Fats?
Good fats do more than just give you energy.
They help your body:
• Absorb key nutrients and fat-soluble vitamins
• Produce hormones that keep your body in balance
• Build healthy brain and nerve cells
• Fight inflammation
Fats are an essential nutrient. They aren’t something you can just cut out of your diet. Without them, it would affect our health negatively in several ways.
We’d become deficient in our fat-soluble vitamins. Important hormones would get out of balance. Our energy levels would be low, and those are just a few things.
How Much Fat Should You Eat Per Day?
Many people who want to lose body fat wonder how much they can reduce their intake. Why?
Because fat is higher in calories than protein or carbs. It has 9 calories per gram compared to 4 calories for the other two macros.
That’s why portion control matters, but we don’t want to cut them too low. For most people, 20% to 35% of total daily calories should come from fat (9).
However, if you’re trying to lose body fat, it’s recommended not to go below 0.51 grams/kg bodyweight, or roughly 0.23 grams/lb (10). That’s enough to give your body what it needs without negatively affecting your health.
With that being said, the majority of your fat should come from unsaturated fats.
Here are a few good rules of thumb to keep you on track:
• Eat more nuts, seeds, and fatty fish for your fat sources
• Use olive oil for cooking
Eat fewer fried or heavily processed foods
Quick List: Good Fat Foods to Add to Your Diet
Want an easy list of healthy fats to include in your diet? These are what I recommend.
• Olive oil
• Avocados
• Nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts)
• Seeds (chia, flax, pumpkin)
• Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel)
• Natural nut butters (in moderation)
Quick List: Bad Fat Foods to Limit in Your Diet
These foods tend to have artificial trans fats or too much saturated fat:
• Fried foods (like fries and donuts)
• Packaged baked goods (cookies, cakes, pies)
• Shortening and margarine
• Frozen pizzas
• Cream-based sauces and heavy cheese
Frequently Asked Questions: Good Fats vs Bad Fats
Q: What Is the Difference between Good Fat and Bad Fat?
A: Good fats (unsaturated fats) can help lower bad cholesterol, support brain function, and reduce inflammation. Bad fats, especially artificial trans fats, increase inflammation and can harm your heart. While saturated fats may be in the “bad fats” category, it’s still good to have some of them in our diet.
Q: Are Saturated Fats Really Bad for You?
A: Not necessarily. Saturated fats are good in moderation and can support brain and hormone health. But too much may raise LDL cholesterol, so aim to eat more unsaturated vs saturated fats.
Q: What Is the Healthiest Type of Fat?
A: Omega-3 fatty acids are some of the healthiest fats you can consume. They’re a type of polyunsaturated fat that helps reduce inflammation, supports your heart, and improves brain function.
Q: Do You Need to Eat Fat to Lose Weight?
A: Yes, you still need to eat fat every day no matter what your goal is. Good fats help you feel full and keep your hormones balanced, which can actually support weight loss when you’re in a calorie deficit.
Q: What Are Examples of Foods with Bad Fats?
A: Foods like fries, pastries, processed snacks, and microwave popcorn often contain harmful trans fats. Limit or avoid these for better long-term health.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to fear fat. You just need to choose the right kinds and not overeat them. They are very calorie-dense, so overeating them can lead to weight gain over time.
Focus on healthy fats from whole foods, limit processed foods, and don’t go overboard on your portions. When you get that balance right, fat becomes your ally, not your enemy.
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References:
(1) Gillingham LG, et al. Dietary monounsaturated fatty acids are protective against metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Lipids. 2011;46(3):209-28.
(2) Kris-Etherton PM, et al. High-monounsaturated fatty acid diets lower both plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;70(6):1009-15.
(3) Krupa KN, et al. Omega-3 Fatty Acids. StatPearls Publishing. 2024.
(4) Gershuni VM. Saturated Fat: Part of a Healthy Diet. Curr Nutr Rep. 2018;7(3):85-96.
(5) Lambert CP. Saturated Fat Ingestion Regulates Androgen Concentrations and May Influence Lean Body Mass Accrual. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A. 2008;63(11):1260-1261.
(6) Denke MA. Dietary fats, fatty acids, and their effects on lipoproteins. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2006;8(6):466-71.
(7) Tristan Asensi M, et al. Low-Grade Inflammation and Ultra-Processed Foods Consumption: A Review. Nutrients. 2023;15(6):1546.
(8) Dhaka V, et al. Trans fats-sources, health risks and alternative approach - A review. J Food Sci Technol. 2011;48(5):534-41.
(9) Schwingshackl L, et al. A Scoping Review of Current Guidelines on Dietary Fat and Fat Quality. Ann Nutr Metab. 2021;77(2):65-82.
(10) Pramuková B, et al. Current knowledge about sports nutrition. Australas Med J. 2011;4(3):107-10.
