A: The simple answer to this question is that the lower the saturated fat content of a food, the better. The three major categories of fats are saturated fats, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats and most foods that contain fat, have a combination of these. Diets higher in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and lower in saturated fats are healthier.

Saturated fat is less healthy because it increases our risk for the development of heart disease. Important sources of saturated fat are animal fat (especially from fatty meat and full fat dairy), butter, palm kernel oil, palm oil and coconut oil.

Another nasty are trans fats – they are also regarded as saturated fat because they have a similar structure and should therefore also be restricted. Sources of trans fatty acids include hydrogenated vegetable fats, like in some brick margarines, cooking fat, foods prepared with these hydrogenated vegetable and marine oils (various commercial products) and cooking oil re-heated several times. (Some margarines are very low in trans fatty acids – so read the label)

Olive and canola margarine or oil, peanut butter and avocado are important sources of monounsaturated fat.

There are two families of polyunsaturated fatty acids, the omega-6 fatty acids (mainly found in plant oils, like sunflower and seed oils) and the omega-3 fatty acids (the best source is fatty fish, but there are also smaller quantities in legumes, canola and green leafy vegetables).

So the take-home message with fat is: Keep your total fat intake moderate, substituting foods high in saturated and trans-fatty acids with foods that contain more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

A moderate intake of these healthy fats within a varied and balanced diet and in combination with active living will lower your disease risk and keep you feeling good.