INFOGRAPHICWELL-BEING

Healthy Fats You Should Be Eating

Reviewed by Claudia Levi, R.N.
March 06, 2025
Know Your Fats Healthy Fats Foods with unsaturated fat to enjoy: Olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil Avocados Peanut butter Nuts and seeds Fatty fish Tofu and soy Eggs Foods fortified with omega-3 fatty acids Unhealthy Fats Foods with saturated fats and trans fats to limit or avoid: Meat and skin-on poultry Coconut oil Lard Butter and margarine Cheese Cream Palm oil Baked goods Fried foods Eating Tips Avoid trans fats whenever possible. Try to get less than 6% of your total daily calories from saturated fat. (In a 2,000-calorie diet, that’s less than 120 calories, or 13 grams.) Target 20-35% of your total calorie intake to come from unsaturated fats. Strive to get 2-3 grams of omega-3s every day. Supplements count. Substitute saturated fats like butter with unsaturated fats like olive oil for a healthier choice.

Healthy Fats 101

Cutting down on fatty foods that are high in calories can be an effective way to lose weight. But your body needs fat to function, stay energized, and make critical hormones.

Not all fats are created equal, and it’s important to have the right kinds in your diet. Here’s what to know about the fats to include or minimize to make the most of your health.

What’s the Difference?

Healthy fats and unhealthy fats have different molecular structures. They function differently in your body.

Healthy Fats and Their Benefits

Unsaturated fat (including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat) is healthy fat. It can lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes, research suggests.

Foods with healthy fats include:

  • Olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil
  • Avocados
  • Peanut butter
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Fatty fish
  • Tofu and soy
  • Eggs
  • Foods fortified with omega-3 fatty acids

Healthy fats also provide the antioxidant vitamin E.

You can also get omega-3s from unsaturated fats. These are fats that your body can’t produce by itself. It’s important to get them through diet because they’re necessary for:

  • Lowering blood pressure
  • Lowering cholesterol
  • Reducing inflammation in the body
  • Improving heart and brain health
  • Improving immune function
  • Offsetting health effects of obesity

Unhealthy Fats and Their Risks

Saturated fats and trans fats are unhealthy fats. These fats are typically solid at room temperature. They can increase your LDL cholesterol levels and may put you at risk for heart disease.

Foods with unhealthy fats include:

  • Meat and skin-on poultry
  • Coconut oil
  • Lard
  • Full-fat butter
  • Margarine
  • Full- fat cheese
  • Cream
  • Palm oil
  • Baked goods
  • Fried foods

How Much to Eat

It’s important to incorporate healthy fats into your diet while limiting or avoiding unhealthy fats like saturated and trans fats.

  • Avoid trans fats whenever possible.
  • Try to get less than 6% of your total daily calories from saturated fat. (In a 2,000-calorie diet, that’s limiting your intake to 120 calories, or 13 grams.)
  • Target 20-35% of your total calorie intake to come from unsaturated fats.
  • Strive to get 2-3 grams of omega-3s every day. Supplements count.
  • Substitute saturated fats like butter with unsaturated fats like olive oil for a healthier choice.

Note: All fats may be unhealthy if you eat too much of them. Be sure to talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian if you need support in decreasing your fat intake.