"Bad" Fats
Saturated fat is found in animal products such as butter, lard, meat, poultry with skin, whole milk dairy products (cheese, milk, ice cream), and eggs. Generally, saturated fats are solid at room temperature, although there are exceptions. Coconut oil and palm oil are also sources of high levels of saturated fat.

Trans fat is a type of fat that is created when manufacturers use a chemical process called hydrogenation (adding hydrogen to oils) in order to change liquid oils into solid fats. Trans fats are found in vegetable shortening and stick margarine, as well as in many processed foods such as crackers, baked goods and fried foods. To limit your intake of trans fats, choose tub margarines or "trans free" varieties, avoid cooking with shortening, and be aware that foods with the ingredient "partially hydrogenated oil" listed as one of the first ingredients contain a significant amount of trans fat.

"Good" Fats
Unsaturated fat is the "good" type of fat, and it is usually liquid at room temperature. There are two types of unsaturated fat - monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

Monounsaturated fat is found mostly in plant sources including olive and canola oil, avocado, peanuts and peanut butter, hazelnuts, macadamia, and other varieties of nuts.

Polyunsaturated Fat is also found largely in plant sources such as safflower, sunflower, corn and soybean oil.

Omega-3 fatty acids are unsaturated fats found in seafood, especially fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, shellfish, bass, and many others). Other sources include canola oil, soybeans and soybean oil, walnuts, flaxseed and wheat germ.

So, what makes saturated and trans fats "bad", and unsaturated fats "good"? Consumption of saturated and trans fat is associated with elevated blood cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease, while consumption of both mono and poly unsaturated fat is associated with lowering blood cholesterol levels. Omega-3 fatty acids in particular may play a protective role against heart disease and strokes by decreasing blood clot formation, decreasing the build up of fatty plaques in arteries, and lowering blood pressure.

However, all types of fats and oils are high in calories. Even the very popular olive oil contains 120 calories and 14 grams of fat per tablespoon - basically the same as any other liquid oil. Therefore, while you should aim to choose mostly unsaturated fats in your diet, they should be used sparingly and within an overall healthy diet.

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