This ghostwritten article was published on March 6, 2025 at ToYourHealth360.com

In the world of dieting, fat has a bad reputation. Fat-free and low-fat foods are still very much in fashion. But these foods often add sugar, sodium and chemicals to make up for the loss of taste and texture that comes with the removal of fat.

In fact, dietary fats play an important role in maintaining our body’s health. So, let’s start by dispelling the myth that all fats are bad – they aren’t. However, it is important to note that some fats are healthier than others.

Dietary fats fall into two broad categories: saturated and unsaturated. Let’s break them down here:

Saturated Fats.

Saturated fats are fats that are generally solid at room temperature. The most common sources of saturated fats are meat and dairy products.

Foods high in saturated fats include:

• Meats, including beef, lamb, pork and poultry (with skin)

• Foods baked using saturated fat, such as cookies, crackers, muffins, doughnuts and cakes

• Foods fried in saturated fat

• Dairy products like butter, whole milk and cream

• Whole-milk cheese or yogurt

• Lard

• Coconut and palm oils

Saturated fats tend to cause elevated cholesterol in the blood, including LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol), which can lead to clogged arteries and a rise in the risk of heart and blood vessel disease. While the link to heart disease is still debated in some scientific circles, the American Heart Association comes down firmly on the side of heart health, recommending reducing saturated fat intake to no more than 6% of total daily calories. For a person eating 2,000 calories a day, that’s about 13 grams of saturated fat.

Unsaturated Fats.

Unsaturated come in two forms: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These fats are generally liquid at room temperature. The most common sources of unsaturated fats are from plant products like vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds, and from seafood products, especially oily fish.

Foods high in unsaturated fats include:

• Oils from olives, peanuts, canola seeds, safflower seeds, sunflower seeds, soybeans and flaxseed

• Avocadoes

• Walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans

• Fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, anchovies, mackerel and herring

• Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds and flaxseed

• Soybeans

The science is very clear when it comes to unsaturated fats: they are good for heart health. Numerous studies have found that when eaten in place of saturated fats, unsaturated fats tend to improve your blood cholesterol and help lower the risk of heart disease. For example, a 2015 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that unsaturated fats, especially polyunsaturated fats, should replace dietary saturated fats to reduce coronary heart disease risk.

The American Heart Association recommends that 8-10% of daily calories come from polyunsaturated fat and 10-15% come from monounsaturated fat. Total daily fat intake should be no more than 30% of calories.

Conclusion: Limit Saturated Fat, and Replace It With Unsaturated Fat

So make an effort to limit the amount of saturated fats in your diet and replace them with healthy, unsaturated fats.

Use these 10 tips to increase healthy fat in your diet:

1. Use plant-based oils for cooking instead of butter or lard

2. Sauté vegetables with olive oil instead of butter; use canola oil for searing or stir-frying

3. Choose lean meat and skinless poultry; trim visible fat from meat

4. Add fish to your diet, especially oily fish like salmon and tuna

5. Reach for whole fruits and vegetables when you're hungry

6. Eat and drink low-fat dairy products

7. Limit commercially fried fast foods

8. Limit processed foods, which often contain saturated fat

9. Check labels on low-fat or fat-free processed foods, which tend to have excess added sugars and sodium

10. Consider using a food diary to keep track of the fats that you eat