A couple years ago I became obsessed with avocados. It got to the point where I was probably eating an avocado a day, but my mom would frequently tell me not to worry about it because she said, “an avocado contains ‘good fats,’ like almonds.” That led me to wonder, what’s the difference between a “good” fat and a “bad fat?” Aren’t all fats the same?

The truth is that we all crave fats and their essential to our diets. According to womenshealthmag.com, Vitamins A, D, E, and K all need to bind to fat to be absorbed; therefore, one should never cut all fats from his or her’s diet. After some research, I realized what my mom called “bad fats” were the man-made trans fats. These have been proven to raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol because of the process they undergo and the chemicals added to make the fats last longer on the shelves. “Good fats”, or unsaturated fats, chemically means that there is one or more double bonds in the fatty acid chain. These are more natural like avocados, nuts, fish, and vegetable oils. These are more natural foods, satisfy the essential fats that our bodies need, and they contain many potential health benefits. I was smarter to eat an avocado for fats instead of having a bag of chips; however, too many of a “good fat” or “bad fat” will have both have negative outcomes.

“Good Fat, Bad Fat: Learn the Difference To Lose Weight.” Womenshealthmag.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2014.