Fats are essential nutrients for our body, and in a balanced diet, they must represent about 30% of daily calories.
But be careful: they are not all the same. It is necessary to favor the “good ones” found in fish, extra virgin olive oil, and dried fruit, even if a modest consumption of butter, cheeses, salami, and homemade desserts is allowed.

In recent years, both through the numerous information campaigns on public health and through advertising, the idea has spread that fatty foods are always bad for you. But in reality, fatty foods are not only bad, as well as some foods considered “good” are not totally good. Both must be part of our diet in the right quantities, favoring quality products, according to the food model of the Mediterranean diet, at the base of which is also the conviviality and therefore the pleasure of sharing food with family and friends, without anxiety.
Some research shows that people even tend to be judged based on their food consumption, regardless of the effects that these food choices have on the health of individuals. Those who eat good, healthy, and dietetic foods would be judged morally more healthy than those who eat “bad” foods, which traditionally are more harmful to health or make you fat.
Cholesterol under control
It is recommended not to consume more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day, which is roughly equivalent to one egg, 150 grams of salmon, and 100 grams of mozzarella.

SALMON, AVOCADO, AND DRIED FRUITS
These three foods contain omega-3 “good fats” important for regulating blood pressure and inflammatory responses.
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FATS
SATURATED: they tend to increase total blood cholesterol. They are mainly contained in foods of animal origin such as fatty meats and their derivatives (bacon, lard) and non-skimmed dairy products (cheeses, whole milk, cream, butter), and in certain tropical vegetable oils (palm, coconut).

UNSATURATED: they do not affect blood cholesterol levels and even tend to lower them. The main sources are non-tropical vegetable oils (olive, nuts, seeds), fish and fish oils. They include monounsaturated foods, mainly contained in extra virgin olive oil, and polyunsaturated ones, mainly contained in nuts and fish. Among the very important polyunsaturates are:
- long-chain omega-3, which are rich in oily fish (mackerel, anchovies, sardines, amberjack, garfish) and fish oils.
- short-chain omega-3 contained in some vegetable oils, seeds, nuts.
- omega-6, which are rich in corn, sunflower and soybean oils, wheat germ, and legumes.

TRANS: they raise blood cholesterol levels by promoting the increase of “bad” (LDL) cholesterol compared to “good” (HDL). They can be found in meat and milk, but the most dangerous are those deriving from low-cost industrial food processing processes. Trans fats can also be formed by cooking oils at very high temperatures (greater than 220°C) for a long time.

Fats are needed
In a balanced diet, according to the new guidelines, the percentage of calories derived from fats must be kept between 25 and 35%, of which no more than 10% must be made up of saturated fats (including cholesterol), which are those mostly of animal origin.
Fats are one of the three main macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and proteins. In addition to being an energy source, fat is also the main constituent of cell membranes and the myelin sheath that forms nerve fibers and allows us to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (which dissolve in fats) such as A, D, E, and K.
Which ones to choose
Fats are not all the same, and we must learn to choose those beneficial for our health, favoring foods containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as vegetable oils – in particular extra virgin olive oil -, fish and nuts.
Trans fats, which derive from some industrial food processing processes (hydrogenation, which produces hydrogenated fats), should be avoided altogether.
Among the polyunsaturated foods, foods rich in omega-3 and omega-6, essential fats that our body cannot synthesize on its own, should be privileged. Omega-3 and omega-6 also contribute to the synthesis of substances that regulate important processes, such as maintaining the right blood pressure and that modulate inflammatory responses. Bluefish (mackerel, anchovies, sardines) are very rich in omega-3 and should be eaten three times a week. The omega-3s are contained, together with the omega-6s, also in nuts such as walnuts and hazelnuts, in flax seeds, in some vegetable oils.

No to light foods
A research conducted in the context of a large Spanish study to evaluate the effect of the Mediterranean diet on the primary prevention of cardiovascular events monitored the cardiovascular health of over 7,000 people, divided into 3 groups. Daily, the first group consumed 4-6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the second 30 grams of dried fruit, and the third followed a low-fat diet. It turned out that those who ate more “good” fats (from oil and nuts) had fewer heart and circulation problems and did not gain weight, unlike those who followed the low-fat diet.
It follows that the consumption of light foods, proposed by marketing, is not convenient for our health. Those who are obsessed with the consumption of light foods not only risk overeating industrially processed foods but can also encounter nutritional imbalances due to the fact that, for example, defatting a food can decrease its total fat content but favor an imbalance in the proportion between the various types of lipids (it could enrich it in cholesterol). There is also the risk of running into nutritional deficiencies, for example of fat-soluble vitamins: this is the case of skimmed milk or light spreadable cheeses. A veil of butter or a teaspoon of Gorgonzola or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on a slice of wholemeal bread is much more complete from a nutritional point of view than an abundant amount of light spreadable cheese.

Misperceptions
An excessive consumption of light foods also leads to incorrect behavior. Products sold as “dietetic” (bars, yogurt, or cereals) encourage you to exercise less under the illusion of eating a low-calorie diet. This is confirmed by a recent research published in the Journal of Marketing Research. The mental association between fat and harmful is rooted in many people and leads them to overestimate the presence of lipids in some foods labeled as fat by up to 35% and to underestimate it in those perceived as healthy. Marketing very often takes advantage of these psychological mechanisms by offering consumers evident “distortions”, driven by the fame enjoyed by some products considered healthy (the so-called “halo effect”).
Extra Virgin Oil
It is the only nutrient of the Mediterranean diet that scientific research has shown to effectively prevent heart attack and stroke.

Vegetable Oils
Corn, sunflower, and soy oils are rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which are part of the “good fats”. Not so tropical vegetable oils, such as palm and coconut oils, rich in saturated fats, which tend to raise blood cholesterol.

THREE FALSE BELIEFS ABOUT FAT
1. Margarine is lean
No, even though it was born as a “light” substitute for butter, it is rich in saturated fatty acids that favor the increase of “bad cholesterol” (LDL) in the blood. Until a few years ago, margarine was produced by the hydrogenation of unsaturated oils and was also rich in harmful trans fats.

2. Baking is healthier
No, it requires a similar amount of oil to the pan, if not more. In addition, the oxidation of fats in the oven, which produces harmful compounds, is favored by the high surface/volume ratio, the convective motions of hot air, and prolonged cooking times.

3. Those with high cholesterol should not eat eggs
No, in these cases, it is sufficient not to over-consume them, limiting themselves to taking a maximum of 2-3 per week. It is also good to cut down on other sources of saturated fat such as meats and cheeses.

Always remember that the secret to a healthier life is a balanced diet and an active lifestyle.
Be active and eat a little bit of everything!
There is so much useful information in this balanced article. Thank you, Ribana
Thank you very much Derrick! Very appreciated!
A balanced diet – a key to a healthy life stile. (I looove SALMON, AVOCADO, AND DRIED FRUITS)
Exactly! A little bit of everything 😉
Thank you Ribana for this valuable and well presented information.
Thank you very much Bernadette! I’m glad you like it!
Balance, moderation, and common sense I think.
Exactly! That’s the key to a healthy lifestyle!
Hey Ribana 👏 This is a healthy post. A balanced diet is the key to a healthier life. Sources say 80% of food and 20% of workout is what keeps one hale and healthy. We need water, spice, sweet, bitter, fat, oil all of it and it is balanced. People say cut the “Fat”, cut the unnecessary fat, you said it right, the right amount of consumption matters. Healthy post Ribana 👏 Kudos to your effort to collate and present it simple and neat.
Hi Simon! Thank you very much! Yes, a little bit of everything is the key to a healthy lifestyle! But eating healthy is not enough! We need to get some exercise too 😉 You are a healthy lifestyle enthusiast, you know 😉
Fat has its role too! But as always, everything needs to be in moderation 😉
That’s right, like an engine oil, human needed oil & fat to run our body smooth. I too agree, that exercises is a part to stay healthy and active, major role goes to the food ☺️. And yes, everything needs to be in moderation 😉👍Have a good day 🥳 and an awesome Week 💖
Thank you Simon! Wish you a wonderful week ahead too! 😉
Such a wonderful and educational post Ribana! Eating well does not have to be complicated. It is never too late – or too early – to make healthy changes to your diet to help prevent disease, manage your weight, and feel better. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Thank you very much Aiva! Very much so! it’s never too early or too late for a healthy lifestyle that makes us feel good! Wish you a wonderful week ahead!
I’ve been eating a lot of salmon and avocados lately! They’re so tasty. I use Jack Daniel’s sauce in my salmon and eat avocados with almost every meal. It’s great.
They are very tasty! I love the combination of salmon, avocado and eggs 😋 But be careful! The key is a little bit of everything and never exaggerate with anything 😉
My husband and I have been trying to incorporate more fish into our diet.. we seem to eat a lot of bread and red meats… like you say, we are just more focused on trying to keep everything balanced (not more of one or the other)… Thanks for the info!
Try to reduce the bread and red meats and do veggies day or fish days 😉 In that way you keep everything balanced 😉
Great quality content post Ribana 🙂
I eat as balanced a diet as my digestion allows, no longer do l have fats or sweets or breads, now it is white meats – chicken, turkey, white non-oily fish [including salmon when it is affordable], l can’t do nuts or avocado anymore sadly, eggs is a huge part of my diet though as in a non processed milk. A few vegetables – by all accounts, it’s a very lean diet now.
Thank you very much Rory!
Well, I do try to have a balanced diet too, and I must say that I like white meats…go so well with my salads 😉
I know you have lots of problems with food…you did that test some time ago right? Have you received the results? Any intolerances?
I still haven’t done that yet l have to sadly admit, there has been so much going on in life that those things and strange and painful bloodlettings have been put to one side, but l must do that.
Try to do them! Maybe you’ll find the issue!
Yes, l know, there are other things on my mind currently, but l will get around to it 🙂
The sooner you find what is the issue, the sooner you’ll be able to have a better diet 😉 Hopefully 😉
I know 🙂