We spent decades being lied to about butter.
Think back to the 90s. SnackWell’s cookies were everywhere, people were eating dry toast like it was a penance, and the local grocery store aisles were packed with "fat-free" everything. It was a disaster for our collective health. Honestly, the low-fat craze probably did more damage to our metabolic health than the sugar it replaced. By stripping out the fats that keep us full, food companies pumped products full of high-fructose corn syrup to make them edible.
Now, the pendulum has swung. You see people putting half a stick of butter in their coffee or eating bacon by the pound. But is that right? Not exactly. Figuring out what fat is good for you isn't about jumping from one extreme to the other. It’s about understanding that "fat" isn't a single thing. It’s a massive category of molecules that behave differently once they hit your bloodstream.
The Big Misunderstanding: Saturated vs. Unsaturated
The old-school advice was simple: saturated fat is evil, and vegetable oil is a miracle. We know now it’s way more nuanced. Saturated fats—the ones that stay solid at room temperature—got a bad rap because of some early, somewhat flawed studies by researchers like Ancel Keys. While his "Seven Countries Study" linked saturated fat to heart disease, later re-evaluations found he kinda cherry-picked the data.
That doesn't mean you should go eat a bucket of lard.
Excessive saturated fat, especially when paired with refined carbs (think a cheeseburger on a white bun), can definitely spike your LDL cholesterol. But high-quality saturated fats, like those found in grass-fed beef or organic coconut oil, don't seem to be the villains we thought. The real heroes, the ones that actually help your heart, are the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Olive Oil Is Basically Liquid Gold
If you’re wondering what fat is good for you, start with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). It is the backbone of the Mediterranean diet for a reason. EVOO is packed with oleic acid and polyphenols. These compounds are anti-inflammatory. They protect your arteries.
✨ Don't miss: Horizon Treadmill 7.0 AT: What Most People Get Wrong
I’m talking about the real stuff, though. A lot of "olive oil" on grocery shelves is actually cut with cheaper seed oils like soy or canola. You want the peppery bite. If it makes you cough a little at the back of your throat, that’s the oleocanthal working. That’s the good stuff. Use it for dressings, or even finishing a steak. Just don't let it smoke on a high-heat pan, or you'll degrade those delicate nutrients.
The Omega Balance Problem
Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) are essential. Your body can’t make them, so you have to eat them. This is where things get tricky, though. You’ve probably heard of Omega-3s and Omega-6s.
In a perfect world, we’d eat them in a 1:1 ratio.
The modern diet? It's more like 1:20. We are drowning in Omega-6s because they are in everything. Soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil—these "vegetable" oils (which are actually seed oils) are in every processed snack and restaurant fryer. While Omega-6 isn't inherently "bad," having way too much of it compared to Omega-3 creates a pro-inflammatory environment in your body.
Where to get your Omega-3s
- Sardines and Mackerel: Small fish are better because they have less mercury. Plus, they are loaded with EPA and DHA, the specific fats your brain needs to function.
- Walnuts: Great for a snack, though the form of Omega-3 (ALA) has to be converted by your body, and we aren't very efficient at it.
- Chia Seeds: Toss them in some yogurt. They’re basically tiny fiber and fat bombs.
- Algae Oil: If you're plant-based, skip the flax and go straight to algae supplements. It's where the fish get their Omega-3s anyway.
Let’s Talk About Avocados
Avocados are probably the perfect food. They are mostly monounsaturated fat, the same kind in olive oil, but they come with a massive hit of fiber and potassium. Potassium is crucial because it helps offset the bloating effects of sodium.
I know, "avocado toast" is a meme at this point. But seriously, replacing a smear of margarine (which is basically a chemical factory in a tub) with mashed avocado is one of the easiest health wins you can get. It stabilizes your blood sugar. It keeps you full until lunch. It's a no-brainer.
🔗 Read more: How to Treat Uneven Skin Tone Without Wasting a Fortune on TikTok Trends
The Dark Side: Trans Fats and Highly Refined Oils
There is one type of fat that everyone—literally every scientist and doctor—agrees is terrible. Artificial trans fats. These are oils that have been "hydrogenated" to make them shelf-stable for years. Think of the cream inside a long-life snack cake. It’s plastic-adjacent.
The FDA has mostly banned added trans fats, but they still hide in "partially hydrogenated" ingredients. If you see that on a label, put it back. It creates systemic inflammation and lowers your "good" HDL cholesterol while raising the "bad" LDL.
Then there are the "refined" oils. Grapeseed, sunflower, safflower. They are marketed as "heart-healthy" because they are low in saturated fat, but they are often processed with high heat and chemical solvents like hexane. By the time they get to the bottle, they’re often already slightly rancid. If you’re going to use them, look for "cold-pressed" or "expeller-pressed" versions.
Why Your Brain Needs These Fats
Your brain is about 60% fat.
If you go on a super low-fat diet, you might notice "brain fog." You get irritable. Your hormones go haywire. That’s because fats are the building blocks for hormones like testosterone and estrogen. They also make up the myelin sheath—the insulation around your nerves that allows electrical signals to travel through your body.
When you ask what fat is good for you, you're really asking what's good for your cognitive longevity. Diets high in healthy fats have been linked in several studies, including research out of Rush University, to a lower risk of Alzheimer's and cognitive decline.
💡 You might also like: My eye keeps twitching for days: When to ignore it and when to actually worry
Cooking Temperatures Matter
This is a mistake almost everyone makes. You buy a beautiful, expensive bottle of avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil, and then you crank the stove to max.
Every fat has a "smoke point."
When an oil reaches its smoke point, the fat molecules break down. They oxidize. They create free radicals.
- Butter: Great for low-medium heat, but burns fast. Use Ghee (clarified butter) if you want the flavor but need high heat.
- Avocado Oil: One of the best for high-heat roasting or searing (up to 520°F).
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Keep it under 375°F. It’s better for sautéing or finishing.
- Coconut Oil: Good for baking and medium-heat frying.
Identifying the "Good" at the Grocery Store
The label "Natural" means absolutely nothing. It's marketing fluff. When you’re looking for healthy fats, you need to be a bit of a detective.
Look for glass bottles. Plastic can leach chemicals into the oil, especially if the oil is acidic or if the bottle sat in a hot warehouse. Look for "harvest dates" on olive oil. If it’s more than a year old, the antioxidant levels have plummeted.
For animal fats, quality is everything. The fat of a cow that ate grass is chemically different from the fat of a cow that ate corn and soy in a feedlot. Grass-fed beef has higher levels of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and a much better Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio. If you're going to eat the fat, make sure it's from a healthy animal.
Actionable Steps for Better Fat Intake
Forget the old food pyramid. If you want to optimize your health, your fat intake should be intentional, not accidental.
- Audit your pantry. Toss the "vegetable oil" blends and the margarines. Replace them with one high-heat oil (Avocado or Ghee) and one cold-use oil (Extra Virgin Olive Oil).
- Eat the whole egg. The yolk is where all the choline and healthy fats live. Stop making egg white omelets; they're unsatisfying and nutritionally hollow.
- Prioritize fatty fish. Try to get salmon, sardines, or anchovies into your diet twice a week. If you hate the taste, find a high-quality, third-party tested fish oil supplement.
- Watch the "hidden" fats. Salad dressings at restaurants are almost always pure soybean oil. Ask for olive oil and vinegar on the side.
- Snack on raw nuts. Avoid the ones roasted in "peanut oil" or "cottonseed oil." Buy them raw or dry-roasted.
Fat isn't the enemy. It's fuel. It's flavor. It's the reason a ribeye tastes better than a rice cake. By focusing on whole, minimally processed sources like olives, avocados, nuts, and wild-caught fish, you stop worrying about "clogged arteries" and start feeding your body the nutrients it actually needs to thrive. Focus on the source, watch the heat, and don't be afraid of the schmaltz.