Fats have been unpopular for many years. From the 1970s to the 1990s, nutrition guidelines recommended a low-fat diet (1). It was a step to reduce cholesterol levels, diabetes and heart diseases. In fact, it was even said that cholesterol was not an important nutrient (2). This makes us think are all fats bad? The short answer is, no. Let's find out which fat; saturated, unsaturated or trans fats are bad for cholesterol.
What is Saturated Fat?
You can find saturated fats in animal foods and certain oils. These fats are solid at room temperature. Surprisingly, fat makes up nearly 60% of our brain (by weight).
Which Foods have Saturated Fat?
Here are some of the foods that have saturated fat:
Full-fat milk, whole eggs.
Dairy products like full-fat curd, yoghurt, ghee, cheese and butter.
Red meat such as pork, beef, lamb, mutton and chicken skin.
Oils like coconut oil and palm oil. However, the saturated fat in coconut oil is different and you can read about it in the blog on cold-pressed coconut oil.
Is Saturated fat Unhealthy?
The answer is yes and no. Okay, let me explain. Not all saturated fats are unhealthy. Also, your body needs some amount of saturated fats. Therefore, you need saturated fat in your diet. Don't avoid them completely.
However, overeating saturated fat will increase your cholesterol levels. If you eat foods like cheese toast, cakes, cookies, biscuits, ghee paratha, and mutton biriyani, your cholesterol levels could skyrocket. Instead, you can eat them less often as part of a balanced diet.
Interestingly, there are certain types of short and medium-chain saturated fats. They can be good for your overall health (3). Foods like coconut oil and some dairy products have these healthy fats (5).
How much Saturated fat per day is healthy?
A healthy adult should eat less than 7% of your total calorie intake (4). Say, for example, you are eating a 1500 kcal diet. The saturated fats in your diet can give you 105 kcal. Therefore, aim for no more than 12g of saturated fat (1g fat has 9 calories). However, if you are already trying to reduce your cholesterol levels, it should be 5 to 6 per cent. Also check how much total fat (saturated, unsaturated and trans fats) you eat.
Are Unsaturated Fats Good or Bad?
On the other hand, unsaturated fats are good for your heart. These fats are found in plant-based oils like olive, canola, and sunflower oil. You can also get them from nuts, seeds, and fatty fish such as salmon. Using unsaturated fats in your diet can reduce LDL cholesterol levels (6). Additionally, they increase the good cholesterol. HDL is the good cholesterol because it removes the bad cholesterol from the bloodstream.
Unsaturated Fats Examples
Olive oil
Avocado
Nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews)
Seeds (chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds)
Fatty fish (salmon, trout, mackerel)
Soybean oil
Canola oil
Peanut butter
There are different types of unsaturated fats; monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are 2 types. Both MUFA and PUFA are heart-healthy. Omeg-3 and omega-6 fall under PUFA.
What is the Difference between Omega 3 and Omega 6?
Omega-3 and omega-6 are fats that our bodies need from our diet. Omega-3s are famous for their anti-inflammatory benefits. They are found in salmon, chia seeds, flaxseeds and walnuts. On the other hand, omega-6s are also important but are more common in vegetable oils like soybean oil. It's good to have a balance of both omega-3 and omega-6. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA may increase good cholesterol levels (7).
Omega-3s help our brain and heart. While, omega-6s support skin, hair and metabolism. However, too much omega-6 can increase inflammation (8). Therefore, the right balance between these fats can help you stay healthy and reduce the risk of diseases.
What is Trans Fat and Why is it Bad?
Unlike saturated and unsaturated fats, trans fat is not naturally found in large amounts in foods. They are man-made and the end product is called partially hydrogenated oil. Trans fats are found in processed foods such as fried foods, baked goods (cakes, cookies, and crackers), margarine, and fast food.
Trans fats are harmful because they raise bad cholesterol and reduce good cholesterol levels. Therefore, it is a double threat to heart health. In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that partially hydrogenated oils are no longer generally recognized as safe to be added to food (9). WHO is trying to eliminate trans fats by 2025 (10).
Examples of Foods with Trans Fat:
Margarine
Shortening
Store-bought cakes and cookies
Crackers
Frozen pies
Microwave popcorn
Fried fast foods (French fries, chicken nuggets)
Doughnuts
Biscuits and pastries
Breakfast sandwiches
Cream-filled candies
Non-dairy coffee creamers
Ready-to-use frosting
Breaded frozen foods (fish sticks, chicken patties)
Instant noodles
Baked goods made with partially hydrogenated oils
Certain snack foods (potato chips, pretzels)
Processed snack cakes
Pancake and waffle mixes
Pie crusts
Refrigerated dough products (cinnamon rolls, biscuits)
Vegetable shortenings
Samosas (Indian fried pastry filled with spiced potatoes or meat)
Pakoras (deep-fried Indian snack made with vegetables or meat)
Poori (deep-fried Indian bread)
Bhaturas (deep-fried bread often served with chole)
Jalebi (Indian sweet made by deep-frying wheat flour batter in pretzel or circular shapes)
Gulab Jamun (Indian dessert made of deep-fried milk solids soaked in sugar syrup)
Kachori (deep-fried stuffed pastry often filled with lentils or peas)
Parathas (Indian flatbread often shallow-fried with ghee or oil)
How to Avoid Trans Fat?
1. Choose olive oil or healthier fats instead of margarine and processed foods.
2. Check food labels for "partially hydrogenated oils" and pick items with zero trans fats.
3. Cook by baking, grilling, or steaming rather than frying to reduce trans fat intake.
Making Heart-Healthy Choices: Tips for Your Diet
Choose Lean Proteins: Choose lean cuts of meat and poultry. Also add plant-based proteins such as beans, lentils, and tofu into your meals.
Use Healthy Oils: Replace butter and solid fats with olive oil, coconut or avocado oil in cooking and salad dressings. Using MUFA instead of saturated fats can increase weight loss and reduce body fat (11).
Eat More Fish: Try to eat fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and trout at least twice a week for their omega-3 fatty acids. Omeg-3 fats are heart-healthy, reduce inflammation and protect against certain cancers (12).
Snack on Nuts: Enjoy a handful of nuts or seeds as a nutritious snack. Cut down on chips or cookies. Try a healthy sugar-free chia seed pudding for its omega-3 and fiber content.
Read Food Labels: Check ingredient lists for partially hydrogenated oils. Avoid foods containing trans fats.
Saturated, Unsaturated or Trans Fats: What is bad for Cholesterol?
Which fat is bad for cholesterol? Trans fats are the troublemakers—they jack up your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol levels. On the other hand, unsaturated fats, like the ones in olive oil and fish, can reduce bad cholesterol levels. However, use them in moderate amounts.
Saturated fats, found in foods like butter and red meat, can also bump up your bad cholesterol levels, but they are as bad as trans fats. So, sticking to unsaturated fats whenever you can is a smart move for keeping your heart in good shape and your cholesterol in check.
What are the Best Low-fat foods:
1. Fruits (e.g., apples, oranges, strawberries, watermelon)
2. Vegetables (e.g., spinach, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers)
3. Leafy greens (e.g., kale, Swiss chard, lettuce)
4. Whole grains (e.g., oats, brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat bread, wild rice)
5. Lean proteins (e.g., chicken breast, turkey breast, lean cuts of beef, tofu)
6. Legumes (e.g., lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans)
7. Low-fat dairy (e.g., skim milk, low-fat yoghurt, cottage cheese)
8. Fish (e.g., salmon, trout, tilapia, tuna)
9. Shellfish (e.g., shrimp, crab, lobster)
10. Nuts and seeds (e.g., almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds)
11. Soups (broth-based soups with vegetables and lean proteins)
12. Tofu and tempeh
13. Oat milk or other plant-based milk
14. Low-fat or fat-free salad dressings and sauces
15. Air-popped popcorn (without butter)
16. Non-fat Greek yoghurt
17. Whole wheat pasta
18. Quorn (a meat substitute made from fungi)
Indian low-fat foods:
1. Dal (lentil curry)
2. Tandoori chicken (grilled marinated chicken)
3. Bhindi (okra) curry
4. Palak paneer (spinach with cottage cheese)
5. Chana masala (spicy chickpea curry)
6. Rajma (kidney bean curry)
7. Vegetable pulao (spiced rice with vegetables)
8. Raita (yoghurt dip with cucumber or other vegetables)
9. Idli (steamed rice cakes)
10. Sambar (spicy lentil and vegetable stew)
11. Rasam (spicy and tangy soup made with tamarind and tomatoes)
12. Poriyal (stir-fried vegetables with minimal oil)
13. Upma (savory semolina porridge)
14. Appam (fermented rice pancakes)
15. Lemon rice (rice flavoured with lemon juice and tempered with spices)
16. Avial (mixed vegetable curry in a coconut and yoghurt base)
17. Steamed or grilled fish preparations with South Indian spices
Is cholesterol good or bad?
80% of the total body cholesterol is produced in the liver (de novo, 13). Surprisingly, only 20% comes from the foods that you eat.
There is a tightly regulated mechanism between dietary cholesterol intake and de novo cholesterol synthesis to maintain total cholesterol levels (14).
Cholesterol is needed for producing Vitamin D, bile acids and steroid hormones like testosterone (15).
It is important to look at foods as a whole and not by singling out the nutrients, Egg is a classic example of this. Including nutrient-dense foods from all the food groups is the way to go. Going by fad diets and avoiding an entire food group is not sustainable.
Conclusion:
To sum it up, don't stress about including fats in your diet. Just pick the good ones and watch your portions. Think fruits, veggies, lean meats, and whole grains, plus some nuts, seeds, and fish for those healthy fats. This mix not only keeps things tasty but also supports your heart health. So, enjoy your meals, mix it up, and keep it balanced—it's all about finding that sweet spot for a healthy lifestyle!
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