Fad diets in the 80s said fat was bad. But now, everyone is saying fats are good. So which is it? Well, it’s both. There are good fats and bad fats, and knowing the difference is key to your good health.

Your body needs fats, but it needs the good kind. It uses fat for energy to build nerve tissues, create hormones, and control inflammation. Good fats help your body absorb the vitamins your body needs from the other foods you eat. Bad fats raise your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, putting you at risk for diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

The key to a healthy diet is knowing which fats are the right kind and getting just the right amount of them.

More About Bad Fats

When reading labels on the foods you buy, watch out for saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats are what you’ll find naturally occurring in animal products like eggs, dairy, meat, and poultry. Trans fats are made by hydrogenation. You’ll find them in processed foods.

Trans fats are definitely ones to avoid while saturated fats should be limited. Trans fats may sometimes be found on food labels as “hydrogenated oil” so read carefully before putting anything in your grocery cart. You’ll find them in commercially-made baked goods, fried foods, and other snacks. They lower your good cholesterol levels (HDL) and raise your bad cholesterol levels (LDL).

More About Good Fats

What you should be doing for your best health is replacing bad fats with the good kind. Good fats will help your overall cholesterol levels go down. They have great benefits for the body beyond that too, including decreasing your chances for heart attack and preventing inflammation. Inflammation leads to many chronic diseases.

Monounsaturated fats are good fats that you get from olive oil, canola oil, and peanut oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are also in this category, which you’ll find in wild-caught salmon, avocados, legumes, and seeds.

Another good fat to get is polyunsaturated fats. These come in corn oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil. Add them to your diet in the form of seeds too. Sunflower seeds on your salad is a great way to add more healthy fats.

Want to make the most of your fat intake? Then stay away from the bad fats and focus on getting more good fats. It’s best to avoid fast food whenever possible because it is loaded with trans fats. The same goes for fried foods too.

Focus on lean proteins, choosing fresh fish or poultry over red meat, or even vegetable proteins. Cook your foods in the right kinds of oils. Olive oil is best for cooking while canola oil is the best choice for baking. Another way to avoid bad fats is to change your snacking habits. Swap out chips for unsalted peanuts or edamame instead. Enjoy avocado toast for lunch instead of a roast beef sandwich. There are many tasty ways to get more good fats and cut down on bad fats. If most of what you’ve been eating is full of bad fats, start making healthier swaps today!