Good, Bad and the Ugly

Good fat, Bad Fat & The Ugly Fat

Nutritionists often talk in terms of "good" fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and "bad" fats, like saturated and trans fats. Here's a summary of the different categories of fats, broken down into the good, the bad and the downright ugly.

The Good

Monounsaturated Fat:

• A "good" fat
• Reduces overall cholesterol levels, and specifically LDL or "bad" cholesterol, while increasing levels of HDL or "good" cholesterol
• Found in nuts and seeds, avocados, olive oil and canola oil

Polyunsaturated Fat:

• Another "good" fat
• Reduces overall cholesterol levels, and specifically LDL or "bad" cholesterol
• Found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout and sardines, and also in corn, safflower, sunflower and soybean oils

The Bad

Saturated Fat:

• A "bad" fat
• Increases overall cholesterol levels, specifically LDL or "bad" cholesterol
• Found in animal-based foods such as meat, poultry and eggs, and also in butter, cream and other dairy products
• Also found in plant-based products such as coconut, so-called "tropical oils" like coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil, and cocoa butter

The Ugly

Trans Fat:

• Another "bad" fat
• Increases levels of LDL or "bad" cholesterol and lowers levels of HDL or "good" cholesterol
• Found in hydrogenated fat products such as margarines and vegetable shortenings
• Used in packaged snack foods such as cookies, crackers and chips, and in fried foods from fast-food and other restaurants

The following table shows, in grams, how much saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and trans fats are contained in 1 tablespoon of various commonly used oils and fats.