TOP FATS: THE OMEGA-3s
Among the best fats on the planet, omega-3s add years to your life by dramatically reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. They may also stave off arthritis, depression, some cancers, and even tame menstrual cramps and post-workout soreness. Looking for clear, soft skin and great hair? Omega-3s do that too.
Eat these frequently:
Fatty fish, such as wild salmon, sardines, herring, and tuna
Flax seeds and flax seed oil
Walnuts
Canola oil and leafy greens (modest amounts)
GOOD FATS: THE MONOS
All monounsaturated fats are kind to your heart, because they up good HDL cholesterol and lower bad LDL cholesterol (the kind that clogs arteries). But virgin olive oil, the MVP of monounsaturates, does more. For starters, it contains micronutrients that are needed for hormone and enzyme production. But olive oil also boasts compounds that may fight breast and colon cancer as well as boost the cancer-fighting power of other foods.
Delicious sources are:
Olives
Virgin olive oil-be sure it's virgin; processing destroys nutrients
Canola oil
Peanut and other nut oils
Nuts
Avocados
PRETTY GOOD FATS: THE POLYS
Most polyunsaturated fats are heart-friendly but, with the exception of omega-3s, they don't have the star power of other healthy fats. Also, they contain omega-6s, which are healthy unless you get too many of them-and most Americans get up to 25 times more omega 6s than they need-because they can overwhelm the superstar omega 3s. Overall, try to get most of your polyunsaturated fats from omega 3 sources.
Find them in:
Corn, soybean, safflower, canola, sunflower and cottonseed oils
Fatty fish (canned light tuna counts)
LOUSY FATS: THE SATS
Saturated fats are mainly trouble because they raise blood cholesterol to artery-clogging levels. In one study, eating a single slice of carrot cake and drinking a milkshake hindered the body's heart-protective functions. Loading up on sat fats may also harm brain molecules that help form memories, raising the risk of dementia.
Skimp or skip:
Meats, particularly with visible fat
Poultry skin, fat, and dark meat
Whole-milk dairy foods including butter, full-fat cheeses, ice cream, sour cream
Most hard margarines (those in stick form)
Coconut and palm oils
Lard and shortening
DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT 'EM: TRANS FATS
These fats are so scary that they're being banned in some cities, and food manufacturers and restaurants are working fast to find substitutes. Trans fats are formed when liquid oils are zapped with hydrogen, turning them solid (like stick margarine). Processed foods that contain trans fats have nearly eternal shelf life-ironically, that's why trans fats were invented: to keep food from going bad. But trans fats turned out to boost bad cholesterol, decrease good cholesterol, gum up arteries, and set off inflammation throughout the body, which can trigger a host of problems, from stroke to diabetes.
Bypass completely:
Though things are changing quickly, be suspicious of any fast or processed food that's not labeled trans-fat free (packaged-food labels now must list trans fats), including:
All deep-fried foods-chips, French fries, onion rings, donuts, etc.
Many fast foods
Candy
Commercial baked goods-cookies, pies, cakes, rolls, muffins, etc.
Bottom line Stay away from trans fats the way you'd avoid highways on the day before Thanksgiving. Clog city.
