For more information on heart-healthy eating visit www.Heart.org/Nutrition or contact the American Heart
Association at inquiries@heart.org or (800) 242-8721.
Fat Facts
Many people think that fat is bad, but did you know that your body actually needs fat; just not as much as most people eat.
Fats are important to give your body energy for cells to grow, protecting your organs and help keeping your body warm.
The major types of fats in foods are saturated fats, trans fats (the “bad” fats), monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats
(the better fats). Each fat has different characteristics and different effects on your health.
BAD FATS
BETTER FATS
Saturated Fats
Trans Fats
Monounsaturated
Fats
Polyunsaturated Fats
Commonly
Found in These
Foods
(Mainly from
animals)
beef, lamb, pork,
poultry with the
skin, beef fat, lard,
cream, butter,
cheese, other
whole- or reduced-
fat dairy products
(Some from plants)
Palm, palm kernel
and coconut oils
Some baked goods,
snack foods and
fried foods
Baked goods - pastries,
biscuits, muffins,
cakes, pie crusts,
doughnuts and cookies
Fried foods – French
fries, fried chicken,
breaded chicken
nuggets and breaded
fish
Snack foods –
popcorn, crackers.
Traditional stick
margarine and
vegetable shortening
Vegetable oils –
olive, canola and
peanut
Avocados
Many nuts and
seeds - almonds
and peanuts/peanut
butter
High in
Omega-6 Vegetable
oils – soybean, corn and
safflower
Many nuts and
seeds – walnuts and
sunflower seeds
High in Omega-3
(EPA and DHA) Fatty
fish – salmon, tuna,
mackerel, herring
and trout
Effect on Heart
Health
Raise LDL “bad”
cholesterol level
Foods high in
saturated fats may
also be high in
cholesterol
Increase risk of
heart disease
Raise LDL “bad”
cholesterol
May lower HDL “good”
cholesterol
Increase risk of heart
disease
Reduce LDL “bad”
cholesterol
May lower risk of
heart disease
Reduce LDL “bad”
chol