Many people focus on the calorie content of a particular food item as opposed to looking at the full picture. Time and time again we hear that we should consume a diet low in fat. This is true, but not entirely. Not all fats are bad fats. We are going to focus on helping you pick good fats versus bad fats.
You want to choose fats that have good unsaturated fats, which have been proven to help decrease risk of disease. Saturated fats include both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. Good fats include:
- Olive oil
- Nut butters
- Nuts
- Avocados
- Seeds
- Fish
These good fats are the ones you want to consume most of the time in your diet. You can substitute canola oil with olive oil as a healthier option. Many of the other good fats are also developed into oils for cooking such as avocado.
The fats that you want to stay away from are the “bad” fats, which typically contain a high amount of trans fat and bad unsaturated fats.
Bad fats have been found to be associated with the development of disease such as cancer and heart disease, and weight gain. Bad fats include the following:
- Red meat
- Butter
- Ice cream
- Cheese
Now, it’s typically hard to stay away from bad fat altogether, so you can consume certain things in moderation.
Lastly, while the food item may say it is low in fat you must pay attention to the carbohydrate content as the fats are typically replaced with simple carbs.
Read: The Best Carbohydrates for Dancers
Lindsey Arevalos, MS
