Fats are Bad, Fats are Good... Who is Right?

By now, I sort of assumed most people understand the difference between good and bad fat. However, since I continue to get the same questions from time-to-time, maybe a refresher course in the differences among fats is in order.

There is still a lot of discussion and hype about fat-free or low-fat labeled foods. There is no shortage of examples on the grocery store shelves of products that feature their version of "healthy", by promoting a reduced fat variety of their product. It is curious, though, that little is mentioned about "good" versus "bad" fat.

The Black Hats

Okay, let’s start with the bad guys. Saturated fats are regarded as “a bad thing”, and hydrogenated fats (trans-fatty acids) are regarded as “a VERY bad thing”. Saturated fats are in items like meat, cheese, milk, butter... a lot of the great comfort foods that people in my generation grew up eating, everyday. Saturated fats are, at least, something our bodies recognize as a natural material, but it is well-established that an over-indulgence of these foods can lead to numerous health issues. Hydrogenated fats are in most processed foods, including:

• cookies
• chips
• margarine
• shortening
• chocolate
• crackers

... and numerous other store-bought, prepackaged items. Hydrogenated (and partially-hydrogenated) oils are used to increase shelf-life for these products. Shelf-life is very convenient, but it can be argued that foods with hydrogenated oils are not much better to eat than those clever little, fake, plastic food items you see displayed on dessert trays at some popular restaurants.

Between these two types of fats, you would serve yourself well to remember that hydrogenated oils are not a "natural" fat (instead, created by man), and they are quite harmful to the body.

The White Hats

The "hero" characters in this discussion are the unsaturated fats. These are the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Most of the vegetable oils fall in this category.

Within the polyunsaturated group are the very beneficial fats called Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). Over time, we continue to learn more about the role of EFAs in sustaining a healthy body.

Essential fatty acids are, by the very definition, essential. It is known that EFAs help prevent certain skin ailments (including eczema), and help control triglyceride and cholesterol levels. They are linked to reproductive and immune health, and there is also mounting evidence of a link between EFA deficiency and certain mental disorders, including autism and attention deficit disorder.

Essential fatty acids can be considered the "super food" of the fats. EFAs are considered so vital to our health, the World Health Organization has recommended 3-4% of daily calories should be in the form of this good fat. They further have recommended that for young children and pregnant or lactating women, 5-6% is appropriate.

For A Closer Look

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If you would like to read more about this topic, feel free to check out these articles on the website:

The Facts About Fats : A fascinating study of the difference between butter and margarine.

Frequently Asked Questions: Essential Fatty Acids and Nutrition

Throw Away Your Margarine, Long Live Butter