Of the three macronutrients, fats seem to cause the most confusion. The biggest challenge is convincing people that all fats are not created equal! Fats have a very bad reputation and everyone assumes that "fat is fat" and "all fat is bad for you."  This is completely false. For instance, there are fats that actually help burn body fat! 

Fats fall into two basic categories - good fats and bad fats. You want the majority of the fats you consume to fall in the "good" category. So let's say you've calculated that 15% of your daily calories should come from fats, you want the majority of that 15% to be good fats.  The obvious question is, what are the good fats?

The good fats are the unsaturated fats - polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Take a look...

Unsaturated Fats
These fats come mostly from plant sources and are liquid at room temperature. These are known as the essential fatty acids that are very important to optimal health.  These good fats provide a host of health benefits - including the ability to burn fat!  You want the majority of your fat intake to come mostly from these fats.

There are two kinds of unsaturated fats:

Polyunsaturated Fats: Omega 3 and Omega 6 are essential fatty acids that fall into this category.  Food sources of these fats include safflower, sesame and sunflower seeds, flax seed, hemp seed, corn and soybeans, many nuts and seeds, and their oils.

Monounsaturated Fats: Omega 9 is a "semi" essential fatty acid that falls into this category.  It is referred to as "semi essential" because the body can produce it by itself provided there is enough omega 3 and omega 6 present in the body. Food sources include avocados, olives and peanuts. Oil sources include canola, olive, almond, hazelnut, and peanut.

The bad fats are the saturated and hydrogenated fats.  Let's take a look at these...

Saturated Fats
Saturated fat is found mostly in foods from animals and some plants. It is the main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol. High blood cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease. You should limit your saturated fat intake to 7% of total calories (or less) each day. To achieve weight loss success, however, try to avoid saturated fats as much as possible.

Common sources of saturated fat:

Animals: beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy products made from whole milk. These foods also contain dietary cholesterol.

Plants: coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil (often called tropical oils) and cocoa butter.

Hydrogenated or Trans Fats
Fats may undergo a chemical process called hydrogenation during food processing. This is common in margarine and shortening. These fats also raise blood cholesterol. Use hydrogenated fats only if they contain no more than two grams of saturated fat per tablespoon. The saturated fat content of most margarines and spreads is printed on the package or Nutrition Facts label.

In clinical studies, these fats tend to raise total blood cholesterol levels. Some scientists believe they raise cholesterol levels more than saturated fats. These fats are formed when vegetable oils are processed into margarine or shortening through a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation makes the fat solid at room temperature. Foods highs in trans fatty acids include french fries, donuts, crackers and cookies. You should strive to keep these foods out of your diet completely - they are bad news!

Although we have been conditioned to believe that all fats are bad for us, that is simply not the whole story. By all means avoid saturated and hydrogenated fats, but don't shy away from the unsaturated fats.  In fact we need these good fats for our bodies to function properly and for our very survival!