How Can Fats Be Healthy?

Not all fats are alike. Although some fats such as trans-fats and long-chain saturated fats found in meat are associated with arthritis, diabetes, cancer and heart disease, other types of fats have been found to be beneficial. Unsaturated fats that consist of either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated types, as well as short-chain and medium-chain saturated fats are not only healthy for you, but some are considered essential, meaning that the body cannot make them and you need to consume them in your diet.

Type 2 Diabetes Care

Neuropathy, the degeneration of nerves often seen in diabetic patients, has been shown to respond positively to supplementation with the omega-6 polyunsaturated fat gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA. This fat is produced from the essential omega-6 linoleic acid, or LA, and is important for building nerve structure and hormones. LA is found in many vegetable oils, such safflower, sunflower, corn, canola and olive. GLA is found in borage, black currant and evening primrose oils.

Heart-healthy Fats

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least two times per week. Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, lowers blood levels of triglycerides, decreases blood pressure, reduces plaque buildup in the arteries and decreases the occurrence of irregular heart beats.

Your Brain is Mostly Fat

More than 60 percent of your brain is made of fat, and the essential omega-3 fatty acids are an important component of the brain's structure. Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids help relieve stress and decrease depression, dementia and symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. Sources of omega-3s are fatty fish, flaxseed and walnut, perilla and flaxseed oils.

Skin, Bone and Joint Health

GLA, an omega-6 fatty acid, is an important component of your cell membranes, providing stability and fluidity and can be used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. In addition, there is some evidence that GLA can protect your skin against moisture loss and minimize the appearance of wrinkles. GLA and the power house omega-3 fatty acids are also beneficial to joint health by improving mobility and reducing inflammation and pain. These fats also affect bone health by enhancing calcium absorption and deposition in bone and producing hormones necessary for bone growth.

Summary

Although bad fats such as trans-fatty acids and saturated fats found in animal products should be avoided or minimized, your body needs healthy and essential fatty acids to function at optimal levels. These healthy fats can be found in foods such as fatty fish, nuts, seeds, avocados and vegetable oils.

Warning

Pregnant women and children should be cautious when choosing fish types and should avoid eating fish with the highest potential for mercury contamination. Larger fish with longer lifespans are more likely to accumulate high levels of mercury, but fish such as salmon, tuna and pollock carry lower risk.