Fat is vital for life; it builds brain cells, maintains body temperature, manufactures sex hormones and makes cholesterol, which protects cell membranes and digests fat and fat-soluble vitamins. Avoiding foods with dietary cholesterol (like eggs or shrimp) will not reduce blood serum cholesterol, but eating too many fatty foods, lack of exercise and excess stored fat will raise blood cholesterol, especially LDL or bad cholesterol--which has a close correlation to heart disease.
Trans-Fatty Oils
Once thought to be healthier than saturated fats found in animal proteins, trans fats, or hydrogenated fats and oils--so called because they have been bound with hydrogen to keep them from spoiling or oxidizing--are now known to be the worst sort of fats for the cardiovascular system, and are closely associated with many inflammatory diseases. The worst of these, at around 20 grams of fat per 200 calories, are hydrogenated coconut and palm oils and vegetable shortening. Twenty grams of fat is about 10 tsp. Any food with these as a major ingredient will also be high in trans fats, and among these are "coffee whiteners," coconut cream and milk, flaked coconut and many shelf-stable condiments.
Fried Foods
Most fried foods in fast-food and chain restaurants are cooked in hydrogenated vegetable oils and are therefore very high in trans fats. Even oils that begin as non-hydrogenated may undergo a process similar to factory hydrogenation when heated to restaurant frying temperatures. Many other items may not come to mind first when we think of fatty foods. These include those merely processed for shelf-stability, such as crackers, chips, snack bars, candies, cakes and other desserts, granola, processed cheese and creamers.
Fatty Dairy Products
Dairy products like butter, cream, ice cream and sour cream tend to have about 14 grams of saturated fat per 200 calories. Saturated fat comes from animal products, and can, in large daily amounts (if eaten without raising the level of physical activity) raise blood serum cholesterol. Although it is still overall fat intake that causes increased cholesterol, saturated fat can be more damaging than unsaturated fat, and in excess can raise LDL or bad cholesterol. Many dairy items such as yogurt, milk and cheese contain some saturated fat but can be enjoyed in moderation.
Animal Fats and Fatty Meats
Any sort of fat, such as lard, which is beef fat, or schmaltz, which is chicken fat, or anything cooked with it will have a high degree of saturated fat. Beef fat contains around 10 grams of saturated fat per 200 calories, and any beef product that is "well-marbled" will contain a large amount of saturated fat, as will regular ground beef. Many different cuts of beef are much leaner, and contain less fat, and ground beef is now offered in a dazzling array of low to very low fat options. Many beef products that are processed for shelf stability may contain loads of saturated fat and trans fats, particularly jerky and hot dogs. Pork fat is quite high in saturated fat, at about 11 grams per 200 calories, and raises the fat quotient of bacon, ham and sausage. Any other type of animal fat, especially domesticated varieties like chicken, duck and lamb, will contain a high amount of saturated fat.
Nut oils
Any oil is by definition a fat, although it may contain some residual water or other elements. Even vegetable oils are high in fat--because they are fat. Nut oils (assuming they are not hydrogenated) tend to be the highest in saturated fat, and should be used in moderation by most and avoided by those looking to lose weight or improve cardiovascular health. Avocado and other high-fat nut oils have about 20 grams of saturated fat per 200 calories. The lowest in saturated fat are olive oil, and other vegetable seed oils like flax, safflower at 2 grams per 200 calories.
Fish Oil
Fish oil is high in saturated fat because it comes from animal sources. However, a daily fish oil pill or eating oily fish, such as sardines, regularly is a good way to use the 20 grams of saturated fat the USDA recommends as the daily limit. The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil were documented in a 2004 Yale and Harvard research study that showed fish oils protect against heart disease and benefit the cardiovascular system.
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