Good fat versus bad fat We tend to think of fat as bad, but that’s not entirely true. Some fats are good for you. Not only do they have important nutritional benefits, they also make your food taste good. Fats are a source of energy and some help keep your heart healthy, and provide essential building blocks for all the cells in your body. This means we need to be aware of how much and what kinds of fat we eat. Good fats Unsaturated fats are what we call ‘good fats’ and there are two kinds: polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Polyunsaturated fats are found, for example, in: Oily fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel Plant oils like sunflower oil and linseed oil Flora spreads Monounsaturated fats are found, for example, in: Olive oil Rapeseed oil Some nuts like Brazil nuts Avocado Bad fats Saturated fats and trans fats are what we call ‘bad fats’. Too much bad fat in your diet is one of the main causes of elevated cholesterol. Butter Fatty meats Cheese Full cream dairy products Trans fats are found, for example, in: Processed foods like cakes and pastries Fried fast foods and takeaways Trans fats are particularly bad for you. They not only increase your bad cholesterol; they decrease your good cholesterol too. Ways to cut out bad fats and replace them with good fats Swap butter for spreads, which contain polyunsaturated fats. As a general rule: the harder a spread is at room temperature, the higher the saturated fat content. Swap snacks like crisps and biscuits for raw vegetables, low-fat yoghurt or fruit. Try to make a habit of checking the fat content on food labels. Pick those with the lowest saturated fat content, ideally less than three grams per serving. Switch to lower-fat dairy products, like reduced-fat cheese, low-fat or reduced-fat yoghurts, and skimmed, or semiskimmed milk.
Replace processed and fatty meats like burgers with lean cuts or trim excess fat off meat before cooking. Swap red meat for skinless chicken and turkey, or oily fish like mackerel, sardines or salmon.