Good Fats vs. Bad Fats

All fats are not created equal. Good fats help protect your heart and support overall health.  Despite what you may have been told, fat isn’t always the bad guy in the waistline wars.

Bad fats, such as saturated fats and Trans fats, are guilty of the unhealthy things all fats have been blamed for—weight gain, clogged arteries and so forth. But good fats such as the monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3s have the opposite affect. As a matter of fact, healthy fats play a huge role in helping manage your moods, stay on top of your mental game, fight fatigue and even control your weight. Omega-3 fatty acids especially play a large role in all these health benefits.

The answer to weight loss is not to cut out all fat—but to learn to make healthier choices and to replace bad fats with good fats that will promote health and well-being.

Healthy Fats	Bad Fats
Avocados	Butter
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, etc…	Cheese
Fatty fish: Salmon or Tuna	Meat with skin-on
Olive Oil	Packaged snack foods
Flax Seed	Commercially-baked pastries
Soymilk	Fried foods

*Disclaimer: Healthy fats are good for you in moderation. Avoid the "halo" effect; maintain control of your daily intake of healthy fats. Healthy fats are very high in calories too. The proper amount of fat intake depends on goals, lifestyle, sex and age. Keep your total fat intake to 20%-35% of your daily calorie intake. The American Heart Association recommends consuming 1–3 grams per day of EPA and DHA (1 gram = 1,000 milligrams). For the treatment of mental health issues, including depression and ADHD, look for supplements that are high in EPA, which has been shown to elevate and stabilize mood. Aim for at least 1,000 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids per day.

Sources of Unhealthy Fats	Healthier Substitutions
Butter	Olive oil
Heavy cream	Skim milk
Eggs	Egg whites or egg substitute
Sour cream	Non-fat plain yogurt
Red meat	Chicken/turkey without skin or Fish
Potato chips	H3 baked tortilla chips