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Get the Facts on Unhealthy Fats
 When you're making food choices, the types of fats you choose are just as (if not more) important than the amount of cholesterol the food contains. Last week you learned about the heart-healthy monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and Omega-3 fats, which are part of a cholesterol-lowering diet.
Fats that you should try to avoid include saturated and trans fats. Here are the facts:
- Saturated fat is unhealthy fat that increases both your total cholesterol and your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Some experts say that limiting your saturated fat intake is one of the most important cholesterol-lowering tips you can follow. No more than 10% of your calories should come from saturated fats--that's about 15-25 grams daily. Keep this number as low as possible. Try to limit or avoid: bacon, bacon grease, beef, butter, cheese, cocoa butter, coconut, coconut milk, coconut oil, cream, cream cheese, ice cream, lard, palm kernel oil, palm oil, pork, poultry, sour cream, and whole milk.
- Trans fat is the unhealthiest fat you can eat! It increases your total cholesterol and your LDL (bad) cholesterol while lowering your HDL (good) cholesterol. Even eating a small amount of trans fats significantly increases your risk of heart disease--especially if you already have risk factors like high cholesterol. Limit your intake of trans fats as much as possible. Experts haven't established any level of trans fats as safe, so keep you intake near 0 grams. Food products that contain trans fat include vegetable shortenings, hard stick margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, doughnuts, pastries, baking mixes and icings, store-bought baked goods, and more.
Although some fats (monounsaturated, Omega-3's) are healthier than others (saturated and trans fats), it's important to remember that fats are still high in calories. Consuming too many--even the healthy ones--can result in weight gain.
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