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When most people hear the word “fat,” they think about its negative aspects: obesity, fattening food, high cholesterol and heart disease, among others. While it’s true that some types of fats and oils that are bad for our health, there are some we should actually go out of our way to incorporate into our daily diets. These healthy fats actually play an important role in overall health and well-being, because having enough of them can increase your energy, help you gain muscle weight and allow your body to perform key functions. They have these far-reaching effects because they impact the functioning of your cells, skin, brain, heart, nerves, lungs, eyes, digestion and organs. How’s that for motivation to pay close attention to the types of fats you put into your body?

There are actually four main types of dietary fats: saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats and trans fats. Interestingly, all fats — regardless of the type — have nine calories per gram. There are other characteristics that differentiate them though. Here are some brief details about each and why you should either stay away from them or incorporate them into your diet:

Monounsaturated fats
Lets start out on a positive note and talk about monounsaturated fats, which can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. These beneficial components are definitely on the list good fats you should include in your diet, especially if you replace saturated or trans fats with them. Monounsaturated oils are typically liquid at room temperature but begin to turn solid when refrigerated (olive, canola, peanut, sesame and sunflower oils are some examples). This type of fat is also found in foods like avocados, seeds, nuts and peanut butter.

Polyunsaturated fats
Polyunsaturated fats are the next category of fats that are actually good for you. They include the Omega-3 group of fatty acids you’ve probably heard about. These are considered “essential fatty acids” because it’s something your body can’t make and therefore must get through your diet. Polyunsaturated fats can be found mostly in sunflower seeds, fish, corn, soybean, walnuts, leafy greens and flaxseed oils.

Saturated fats
Saturated fats are typically associated with bad fats — and for good reason. Eating a lot of saturated fats can raise your LDL, or bad cholesterol level. It also raises your risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). So how much is too much? The American Heart Association recommends keeping your saturated fat intake at no more than seven percent of your total daily calories. And if you need any more encouragement to steer clear of saturated fats, they’ve also been linked to increased breast and prostate cancer risk. Major sources of saturated fats include red meat, vegetable oils that are solid at room temperature (palm, palm kernel and coconut oils, for example) and dairy products.

Trans fats
The granddaddy of all bad fats are trans fats. Unlike all the other dietary fats just mentioned, trans fats are not essential and therefore there is no reason for anyone to consume them. In fact, they actually raise levels of bad LDL cholesterol and lower levels of good HDL cholesterol. Sources of trans fats include margarine, candies, cookies, vegetable shortenings, fried foods and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Now that you know the difference between good fats and bad fats, you can make better choices in your diet. Better yet, you can make sure you’re actually eating more of the right kind of fats to keep your body functioning at it’s optimal level. Remember, though, moderation is key. Even the most healthful ingredients can be detrimental if consumed to excess.

Article by Jeff Masterson of Weight Gain Network; photo by Duygu Agar