Healthy Fats: Which Ones Belong in Your Diet?

At a time when millions of Americans are overweight, fats have gotten a bad rap. Healthy fats can add flavor and texture to foods while helping people feel fuller longer so they don’t get too hungry between meals.

“Not all fats are bad,” said Yikyung Park, a nutrition researcher and professor at WashU Medicine in St. Louis. “Some fats are beneficial, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These are found in most plant oils, such as soybean, canola and olive oil, as well as in peanuts, avocados, walnuts, seeds and fish oil.”

Healthy fats tend to be liquid at room temperature, while unhealthy fats tend to be solid or mostly solid. The most common unhealthy fat is saturated fat, which is found in high amounts in foods such as butter, cheese, whole milk, red meat and beef tallow. Coconut and palm oils have high levels of saturated fat, too, even though they’re plant oils. Trans fat is also an unhealthy fat and to a greater degree than saturated fat. But since 2018, they largely have been removed from foods in the United States.

“Mono and polyunsaturated fats help maintain heart health by lowering bad cholesterol levels,” Park said. “The American Heart Association recommends consuming foods that contain mono and polyunsaturated fats in place of those that contain unhealthy fats.“

Park shares several tips for making the most of healthy fats:

• Instead of cooking with solid fats such as butter, beef tallow or coconut oil, use liquid plant oils. These include canola, corn and other seed oils.
• Instead of meals featuring red meat and cheese — such as cheeseburgers or beef lasagna — choose those featuring fish or poultry and vegetables, such as fish soft tacos, chicken and rice or pesto pasta.
• Instead of topping dishes with extras such as bacon bits, cheese or sour cream, try using nuts, seeds or salsa.
• Cooking at home means fewer restaurant and fast-food meals, which can be higher in unhealthy fats.

Remember that healthy fats, like all fats, are high in calories, Park said, so be mindful of portion size and eat them in moderation. ““It is OK to use beef tallow or coconut oil occasionally or eat full-fat dairy a few times per week,” she said. “But for every day, plant oils are healthier.”

–Alan Goforth

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