Which fats are healthy?

There are fats that are healthy and desirable in a healthy diet. On the other hand, there are fats that can, for example, promote arteriosclerosis and inflammation. Since there is a lot of confusion around this topic, we want to finally clarify: Which fats are healthy?

Unsaturated fats are preferable to saturated fats

Most nutrition labels indicate how much unsaturated and saturated fatty acids they contain. In the future, you should aim for as much unsaturated fatty acids as possible compared to saturated fatty acids. Primarily, this supports your heart health. Unsaturated fats can help lower cholesterol levels and thus reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This allows your blood to contain more HDL cholesterol compared to LDL cholesterol.

Unsaturated fatty acids can also increase the feeling of fullness. This could lead to fewer cravings, for example.

Unsaturated fatty acids could also positively influence insulin sensitivity. This can help prevent fluctuations in blood sugar levels, which in turn could reduce cravings.

Healthy fatty acids: omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids

The terms omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids often cause confusion. Omega-6 fatty acids are not unhealthy in themselves. The problem is that we consume relatively many omega-6 fatty acids compared to omega-3 fatty acids. However, both are essential fatty acids that our body cannot produce on its own and must obtain through diet.

Omega-3 fatty acids are divided into three main types: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). You mainly get ALA from plant sources like seeds and nuts, while EPA and DHA primarily come from animal sources.

Omega-3 fatty acids can have anti-inflammatory effects and thus minimize inflammatory processes throughout the body. Furthermore, they are highly important for the health of the heart, brain, and eyes. In particular, DHA is needed for the baby's brain and eyes during pregnancy. Last but not least, omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for cell membranes.

Omega-6 fatty acids mostly occur as linoleic acid. Important sources are sunflower oil, corn oil, and soybean oil. Omega-6 fatty acids have inflammatory properties, which is why omega-3 oils are needed to balance them. Ratios of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids of 1:1 to 1:4 are recommended. In most people's diets, the ratio rarely falls below 1:10.

Avoid unhealthy trans fats

Trans fats are certain fats that form during industrial processing when liquid vegetable oils are converted into solid fats. These can negatively affect health because they are inflammatory and increase LDL cholesterol while lowering the “good” HDL cholesterol. Typical sources of trans fats include:

• Margarine
• Fried convenience foods
• Baked goods
• Snacks
• Cookies

Examples of healthy fat sources

The easiest way to eat healthy fats is by replacing unhealthy fat sources with healthy fat sources. So first, we want to give an overview of healthy fat sources that you can easily incorporate into your daily diet. Here is the list of healthy fats:

• Avocado: Delicious avocados are rich in unsaturated fatty acids and also packed with versatile fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Fatty fish: Salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, and tuna contain many omega-3 fatty acids, which is why fish oils are recommended for preventing heart diseases.
• Olive oil: is not only rich in monounsaturated fatty acids but also contains many polyphenols that can further reduce inflammation. So feel free to enjoy extra virgin olive oil.
• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, raw peanuts, and pistachios are excellent sources of healthy and unsaturated fatty acids. They also often contain many proteins to help prevent protein deficiency.
• Seeds: Seeds are often left out of everyday diets, yet we obtain numerous oils from them. Chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds are excellent sources of fats that can be used to garnish many dishes.
• Eggs: Eggs contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It is worth choosing eggs from organic farming because the hens’ diet should be rich in omega-3 fatty acids. 
• Dark chocolate and cocoa: Cocoa is often forgotten as a healthy food and source of high-quality fats. Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is the perfect snack alongside nuts and seeds.

Conclusion: Which fats are healthy?

You should also make sure to avoid trans fats as much as possible. Animal trans fats are rare but are considered healthier than industrial trans fats. So don’t worry if you read about trans fats in beef and animal fat.

In addition, you should focus more on omega-3 fatty acids to maintain a healthy ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. Finally, you should focus on unsaturated fatty acids and try to reduce the intake of saturated fatty acids as much as possible.

Which fats are healthy: Frequently asked questions

What does the body need fat for?

Fat performs numerous functions in the body:

• Fat serves as an energy source.
• Fats are components of cell membranes.
• Fat pads protect our organs.
• Fat-soluble vitamins can only be absorbed with fats.
• Hormones contain fats or fatty acids.
• Fat tissue insulates heat.
• Our brain consists largely of fats.
• Healthy fats can reduce inflammatory reactions in the body.

Which oil is the healthiest?

There is no single healthy oil that is the healthiest. However, the following options are often discussed:

• Olive oil
• Avocado oil
• Coconut oil
• Flaxseed oil
• Walnut oil
• Sesame oil
• Hemp seed oil

Which oil is the healthiest for frying?

Feel free to choose an oil for frying from the list above. Olive oil is often recommended, coconut oil is also well suited. Hemp seed oil can give the dish a nutty flavor.