Know Your Fats: Good Vs. Bad Fats

Vast majority of us men thinks that all fats are bad and should be avoided at all cost. This is a common misconception, and is simply not true as there are good fats out there, you just need to know where to look.

The thing is that our bodies process fats in much more complex ways than previously thought, and the bottom line is – your body will end up receiving both the good and the bad fats anyway. This is why it is paramount to know which foods contain which kind of fats.

Good Cop – Bad Cop Routine

Just like in the movies, you will get a treatment from both good and bad cops, you just need to make sure you get more good-cop-time.

According to Alexa Schmitt, RD, a clinical nutritionist at Massachusetts General Hospital, mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats are good fats, saturated fats are to be consumed in moderation, while trans fats are bad guys and should be avoided altogether.

Trans fats raise the levels of bad cholesterol in your organism, which is the main culprit when it comes to increasing the risks of heart disease and other serious health conditions, including stroke. In order to cut these foods out as much as possible, you need to know which foods contain which fats.

Write these down:

• Mono-unsaturated (good) fats: canola and olive oils, most nuts, and avocados
• Poly-unsaturated (good) fats (omega-3 rather than omega-6 fats): fish (salmon and tuna), flaxseed, and walnuts
• Saturated (bad) fats: red meat, processed meats (salami, sausage, ham, etc), dairy products such as cream and butter, and thicker vegetable oils like coconut, palm, and kernel oil.