NEAT Fact Sheet

“Healthy Fats and Oils”

Fats and oils are not a food group but you need some oils for good health.

Fats can be divided into 4 groups:

1. Saturated

2. Trans fats

3. Monounsaturated

4. Polyunsaturated

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are considered “healthy” fats and oils.

These types of fats have some health benefits if used to replace saturated and trans fats such as:

Lowering the risk for developing heart disease

Reducing total cholesterol

Reducing LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol)

A subgroup of polyunsaturated fat, omega-3 fatty acids, may be especially beneficial to your heart.

Type of Fat	Sources of Fat	Risks and Benefits	Recommendation
Monounsaturated	Canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil	Lowers cholesterol and decreases risk for heart disease	These are the best oils for you; choose these often
Polyunsaturated	Salmon, tuna, and vegetable oils	Lowers cholesterol	Choose more of these oils, especially from fish
Omega-3 fatty acids	Fatty, cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel, herring) flaxseeds, walnuts	Decreases risk for heart disease and lowers blood pressure levels	Eat fatty fish 2-3 times a week or take an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement

Last update 06/04/2009