There are three basic types of fats; monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and saturated fats. The difference between good and bad fats is the saturation. The higher the saturation the worse it is for your body, this is known as bad fats. The good fats are the unsaturated fats. Good fats are an important part of your daily nutritional requirements. Good fats provide 9 calories of energy to your body, compared to carbohydrates and proteins that only provide 4 calories per gram. As fat contains no water and less oxygen than carbohydrates and proteins, it is a far more efficient source of energy.
Fats build healthy cell membranes to protect cells and provide structural components for many of the body’s vital organs. Fats makeup over 55% of the brain and the nerves of the body. The body needs two kinds of fats to manufacture healthy brain cells, omega 3 and omega 6. These fats are found in natural plant and seafood’s. If these good fats are not available then the body will try and use bad fats and this will cause harmful effects. Essential fatty acid fats that are essential for well being lower the risk of breast and colon cancers, improve cognitive function, lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, improve your vision, improve learning and improve healthy skin. The best good fats can be obtained from seafood and plants such as nuts, vegetable oils, soy. The second best fats can be obtained from animals if taken in moderation. Fats from fish and algae are nutritionally preferable to animal fats as they are higher in Omega 3 unsaturated fatty acids. To breakdown this a little further, cold water fish contain more polyunsaturated fats than fish from warmer waters, thereby making the cold water fish more healthier to eat than their warm water cousins.
The worse fats are manufactured and should not be used at all. These manufactured fats have a detrimental affect on the body and have been identified as contributing to obesity, diabetes, depression of the immune system, prostate cancer, abnormal sperm production and decreased testosterone. When ranking the categories of fats you would start with the good fats being omega 3 fatty acids, monounsaturated fats and then polyunsaturated fats. Then the bad fats would be saturated fats and the worse one of all the trans fatty acid fats.
Most Western diets do not contain enough Omega 3 fatty acids. To improve this your diet needs to contain cold water fish (e.g. Salmon), canola oil, flax oil and flax seeds, walnuts, soybeans, eggs, pumpkin seeds and wheat germ. Good fats are at least 80 percent unsaturated fats. They contain essential fatty acids and they contribute to the health and well being of the mind and body.

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