What you need to know about fat

Weekly topic: the fats of life

All fats are not created equal. While both saturated and unsaturated ones have SmartPoints®, healthier fats (unsaturated) have less.

3 fast facts

While a healthier pattern of eating is not fat free, some fats are better for your health than others.

1. Saturated fats tend to be found in red meats, dairy products like cheese, and some oils like coconut and palm. They don't offer much nutritional benefit and can increase risk for heart disease.

2. Unsaturated fats tend to be found in avocado, seafood, seeds, nuts, and oils such as olive and canola. They provide essential nutrients and many health benefits.

3. Nutritional guidelines recommend that around 20% to 35% of your total energy intake should come from fats—and the majority should come from healthier sources.

Try this technique

Replace saturated fats with unsaturated options at two meals. (Tip: Pre-track so you can determine how much you want to eat!)

Saturated

Unsaturated

Butter

Avocado

Beef or pork

Oily fish (salmon, trout, herring, tuna)

Croutons

Pumpkin seeds

Full fat salad dressing

Canola, sunflower, corn oils

Chips

Nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews)

Coconut or palm oil

Olive or canola oil

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