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Four Types of Good Fats

For decades, health professionals promoted low-fat diets as an instrumental tool for general health. Now doctors and nutritionists recommend limiting certain fats, while increasing consumption of others. Some fats promote health, while others promote disease. For this reason, fats are considered either "good," or "bad." Knowing which fats to include in your daily diet and which to avoid will help you reach and maintain your health goals.

  1. Essential Fatty Acids

    • Your body requires a small amount of fat to function properly. Alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA for short, and linoleic acid, or LA for short, represent essential fats that you must obtain from your diet. Your body requires ALA and LA, but is unable to manufacture either one. Chia seeds, flax oil and walnuts are two of the richest ALA sources, while the richest LA sources include safflower, sunflower and grape seed oils as well as pecans and Brazil nuts.

    Polyunsaturated Fats

    • When preparing your next salad, choose polyunsaturated oils instead of traditional salad dressing. Commonly known as PUFAs, these healthful fats remain liquid at room temperature. Polyunsaturated fats reduce cholesterol in your bloodstream, promoting cardiovascular health. In addition, PUFAs may reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to MayoClinic.com. Walnut oil, flaxseed oil and safflower oil are excellent choices.

    Monounsaturated Fats

    • Monounsaturated fats are another type of healthy fat. These fats are found in plant-based oils. Olive oil and peanut oil are excellent sources. With its creamy texture and buttery flavor, avocados also make a good addition to your diet when you need to increase your monounsaturated fat consumption. Add some almond butter or cashew butter to a few slices of apple next time you crave something sweet. Both of these nuts are rich in monounsaturated fats.

    Fish Oil

    • Oily fish contain docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA for short, and eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA for short. These are two significant types of omega-3 polyunsaturated fats that provide independent benefits and additional cardiovascular protection. If you're like most Americans, you fail to consume enough EPA and DHA. The American diet contains a disproportionate amount of omega-6 fatty acids, which are found primarily in vegetables oils, nuts and seeds. Excess consumption of omega-6 fatty acids contributes to inflammation and can increase your risk for chronic diseases, according to University of Michigan Integrative Medicine. Balance omega-6 consumption by consuming two to three servings of fatty fish per week, which provide the equivalent of 1,250 milligrams of EPA and DHA per day.

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