Good fat vs. Bad fat on Keto

There are a few types of fats that should make up the majority of your calories on keto.  Healthy fat sources to eat on keto include saturated fats, monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), and some polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs). Sticking to foods that contain the fats mentioned above is the best way to approach your ketogenic diet when creating your low carb, high fat meal plan. 

Monounsaturated fats have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, decrease the risk of heart disease, and even lower blood pressure [*]. Polyunsaturated fats should be consumed with a little more caution. Some PUFAs, such as Omega-3 fatty acids, are vital to brain health, and should be part of any healthy diet. However, when PUFAs such as vegetable oil are heated or oxidized, they can form harmful compounds such as free radicals, which have been shown to increase inflammation in the body [*]. This means you should never use PUFAs for cooking, and these fats should always be eaten cold, and never eaten if at all rancid. 

But what about saturated fats? Aren’t they unhealthy? 

New Studies Debunk the Saturated Fats Debacle

For decades we were taught that saturated fats -- from foods like red meat -- were bad for your health. But new research suggests the complete opposite.

Saturated fats may actually be good for you, and come with a host of benefits. These may include:

• Improved good to bad cholesterol ratio (HDL to LDL)

• Healthier immune system functioning

• Increased bone density

• Improved hormone regulation

• Improved “good” cholesterol levels

​Best Fats to Consume on Keto

Here is a list of our recommended, healthy fat sources to eat in large amounts on keto: Sources of healthy saturated fats include:

• Eggs

• Coconut oil or MCTs (medium chain triglycerides)

• Grass-fed butter

• Fatty cuts of red meat like NY strip steak, porterhouse, and t-bone

• Lard

• Palm oil

Sources of healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) include:

• Lard

• Bacon with no nitrates

• Olive oil

• Avocado oil

• Macadamia nuts

• Fatty fish

• Chia seeds

Healthy polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) include:

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Nuts

• Avocado and avocado oil

• Sunflower seeds

• Nuts

• Fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, and trout

Note: Naturally-occurring trans fats including grass-fed animal foods and grass-fed dairy products like butter are perfectly fine to consume.

Unhealthy Fats to Avoid On Keto

Now that you understand the good fats to consume, let’s quickly go over fat sources you should avoid.

Unhealthy fat sources to avoid include processed trans fats and vegetable oils. In fact, some trans fats are banned by some health departments like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Trans fats are typically used as a cheap substitute for natural, shelf-stable saturated fats. This means you must be very careful when purchasing packaged foods that may contain processed trans fats. Additionally, many restaurants will use processed trans fats to fry their foods, so try to be extremely cautious when you’re going out to eat. Research shows that processed trans fats may be linked to metabolic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes, inflammation, cancer, and heart disease. Vegetable oils contain large amounts of omega-6 fatty acids, which when not balanced with sufficient omega-3s, can result in negative health effects, such as inflammation. They are also easily oxidized, which can cause the release of damaging free radicals.

Avoid consuming these unhealthy fat sources:

• Corn oil

• Canola oil

• Grapeseed oil

• Peanut oil

• Rapeseed oil

• Safflower oil

• Soybean oil

• Sunflower oil

• Margarine

• Vegetable shortening