Trans fats are the worst type of fat for the heart, blood vessels, and rest of the body because they: Raise bad LDL and lower good HDL.
The worst type of dietary fat is the kind known as trans fat. It is a byproduct of a process called hydrogenation that is used to turn healthy oils into solids and to prevent them from becoming rancid. Trans fats have no known health benefits and that there is no safe level of consumption.
You should limit saturated fats and avoid trans fats. They often are found in fast food, fried foods, and snack foods. They also can be in desserts and commercial baked goods. These bad fats increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
The “bad fats,” saturated and trans fats, tend to be more solid at room temperature (like butter). Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats tend to be more liquid (like canola oil). Fats can also have different effects on the cholesterol levels in your body.
Polyunsaturated Fats
Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish (think salmon, mackerel, and sardines), walnuts, flaxseeds, canola oil, and non-hydrogenated soybean oil. Foods rich in omega-6 fatty acids include a number of vegetable oils, like safflower, soybean, sunflower, walnut, and corn oils.
A balanced diet should include healthful monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Some of the best sources of these fatty acids include avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish. People should also be sure to limit the amount of saturated fat in the diet to less than 10% of total calories.
Saturated fats come from animal products (such as cheese, fatty meats, and dairy desserts) and tropical oils (such as palm oil). Foods that are higher in saturated fat may be high in cholesterol. Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium (salt), and added sugars.
The bottom line is that you need healthy fat in your diet, and it does matter what kind of fat you eat. For cardiovascular health, limit your intake of saturated fat, avoid trans fat, and make sure most of the fat you eat is good fat from fish, nuts, and healthy oils.
Toxic fat, or better known as visceral fat is the stubborn fat hanging around your heart, liver, pancreas and all the other organs in your abdomen. It makes up for approximately one tenth of your body's fat and can actively increase the risk of serious health problems.
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, an independent panel of experts who regularly make evidence-based recommendations to the federal government, identified sugar as the prime enemy in American's diets. A large body of research showed that sugar is even worse for your heart than saturated (bad) fat.
Peanut butter is rich in a variety of nutrients — but it's also rich in calories and fat. While the healthy fats in peanut butter are nutritious, you should consume them in moderation to avoid unwanted weight gain or potential health problems. Commercial peanut butter brands often have added sugars, oils, and fats.
Dairy fats in cheese contain conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which may help ease inflammation and may even help prevent heart disease and obesity. Studies show certain full-fat dairy products can be healthy when eaten in moderation. Lower blood pressure.
Naturally fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, and albacore tuna are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These are "good" fats that help keep your heart healthy. They may also help keep your brain sharp, especially as you get older.
Shorter chained fatty acids like MCT oil and coconut oil are literally shorter and easier to disentangle for digestion. They don't require as much bile to break apart as longer chained fatty acids.
Scientists around the world simultaneously showed that saturated fat—the kind in butter and lard—increases both “bad” LDL cholesterol and “good” HDL cholesterol, making it similar to carbohydrates overall but not as beneficial to health as polyunsaturated fats from nuts and vegetables.
Choose foods with “good” unsaturated fats, limit foods high in saturated fat, and avoid “bad” trans fat. “Good” unsaturated fats — Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — lower disease risk. Foods high in good fats include vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn), nuts, seeds, and fish.
Peanut butter is loaded with so many good, health-promoting nutrients, including vitamin E, magnesium, iron, selenium and vitamin B6. Research shows that people who regularly eat nuts and nut butter, including peanut butter, are less likely to develop heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Eggs are fairly low in fat
Egg yolks contain some fat, but the white hardly contains any. One average egg (58g) contains around 4.6g fat, which is about a teaspoon. Only a quarter of this is saturated fat, the type that raises cholesterol levels in the body.
Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods
Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your LDL cholesterol.
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and good fats can help lower what's sometimes called “bad cholesterol.” You may hear your doctor call it “LDL cholesterol.” You have a greater chance of getting heart disease when your LDL level gets too high. You get other benefits from these foods.