Fat has become a bad word in our vocabulary. We all want to lose excess fat. We avoid fat to stay healthy and free of heart disease and other ailments caused by consuming too much fat. The truth is, not all fats are the same. Not all fats are bad for you. Your body needs fat to function and to even burn the fat you want to get rid of. The key is understanding the difference between the good fats and the bad fats. We have simplified this for you.

Look for fats that are described as monounsaturated fat. This good for you fat is found in olive oil, canola oil, avocados, almonds, peanuts, and cashews. Polyunsaturated fats which contain healthful Omega-6s which are found in corn oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil are also good for you. Omega-3s found in bluefish, herring, salmon, sardines, trout, flaxseed oil, walnuts, wheat germ, edamame, and canola oil are beneficial to your health. Research has shown that Omega-3s ease arthritis symptoms and help reduce the risk of heart disease and depression.

Cut back on saturated fats found in butter, chicken skin, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil, and fatty meat. While it is difficult to eliminate saturated fat from your diet because they are naturally occurring in many foods and small amounts of it are found in oils rich in healthy fats, such as olive oil, you can cut back.

Trans fat should be avoided at all costs. Trans fats can be found in cookies, pie crusts, snack foods, crackers, breading, products with partially hydrogenated oils or shortening on the label. Trans fats are made by a hydrogenation process that converts oils into firmer fats like margarine. Trans fat is worse than saturated fat because not only does it raise levels of LDL ("bad" cholesterol), but it lowers levels of HDL ("good" cholesterol). Luckily,many companies are listening to researchers and fit minded consumers and are removing trans fats from their products. Knowing what fats are good for you and which should be avoided is your best weapon against excess and unwanted fat on your body.