This is the difference between good fat and bad fat, you must know!

There is such a thing as good fat, there is also bad fat. What is the difference? Good fats provide energy for our bodies, and your child needs them to grow and develop. Bad fats make our bodies produce bad cholesterol, which can lead to health problems.

What are good fats?

Good fats are sometimes called unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats come in two forms: single and multiple.

There are two types of polyunsaturated fats: omega-3 and omega-6. These fats are also known as essential fatty acids. Our bodies cannot make essential fatty acids, so we need to get them from food.

Good fats or unsaturated fats help keep arteries clean. These fats help us produce good cholesterol and move it around the body, which can reduce the risk of heart disease. And unsaturated fats reduce bad cholesterol, which can lead to heart problems.

A diet with unsaturated fats can help avoid heart problems later in life.

What are bad fats?

Bad fats come in the form of saturated fats and trans fats.

The two bad fats make our bodies produce worse cholesterol, and they can also reduce good cholesterol.

Both bad fats can increase the risk of heart disease later in life.

How do you get good fats?

Monounsaturated fat

You can get monounsaturated fats from:

Oils such as olive, canola, and grapeseed oil
Nuts and seeds
Lean meat
Avocado

Monounsaturated fats help lower cholesterol, but only when replacing saturated fats in the average daily diet.

Polyunsaturated fats

You can get polyunsaturated fats from oily fish such as salmon and tuna.

Polyunsaturated fats lower cholesterol, but only when replacing saturated fats in the daily diet, and they can do this better than monounsaturated fats.

These fats are generally also good for the heart, eyes, joints, and mental health.

Omega-3

Omega-3 is a type of polyunsaturated fat. You can get it from:

Tuna, salmon and mackerel
Walnuts, other nuts and flaxseeds
Soybean meal
Green leafy vegetables
Nuts

Babies also get omega-3s from breast milk.

Omega-3s help develop the brain and eyes of the baby in the womb and during the first 6 months of life. In children, it can enhance learning, promote brain and nervous system development, and strengthen the immune system.

For adults, omega-3s can be good for rheumatoid arthritis, pain, morning stiffness, and inflammation. It can also protect adults from heart disease.

Omega-6

Omega-6 is a type of polyunsaturated fat. You can get it from vegetable oils such as sunflower, peanut, canola and soybean oil.

Omega-6 protects us from heart disease by helping control bad cholesterol.

Where do we get bad fats?

Saturated fat

You get saturated fat from:

Animal products such as meat fat
Coconut and coconut oil in processed foods such as biscuits, chips and slices
Full fat dairy products, such as butter and cream

Saturated fat has no health benefits. It increases the amount of bad cholesterol in the body.

Trans fat

Trans fats are sometimes located in:

Commercially made cakes and biscuits
Take away food
Some margarine
Fast food
Snacks like chips
Energy bar

Trans fats have no health benefits. These fats increase the amount of bad cholesterol in the body and reduce the amount of good cholesterol.

It is difficult for our body to get rid of saturated fat.

Facts about good fats and bad fats

You can't make essential fatty acids in your body, so it's important to include fat in your diet as part of a balanced diet.
Some animal products and processed foods, especially fried fast foods, are generally high in saturated fat, which has been linked to increased blood cholesterol levels.
If saturated fat and trans fat make up more than about 10% of your daily energy intake, the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood will increase. This can cause blockage of blood vessels and can lead to heart disease.
Replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats can increase blood cholesterol levels.
Vegetarians can choose eggs and other foods fortified with omega-3s to get adequate essential fatty acids in their diet.