Dietary fat is another macronutrient because it contributes energy to the body. Dietary fats are made up of fatty acids. Some of these fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids as the body is unable to make them and therefore they must be consumed in the diet.
There are different types of fats. Healthy fats are unsaturated fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These help with cell development, hormone process, heart and brain health.
Sources of unsaturated fats include:
Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, chia seeds, pepitas and sunflower seeds)
Extra virgin olive oil
Oily fish like tuna, salmon and sardines
Avocado
Soybeans
Less healthy fats are saturated fat and trans fats. These have unfavourable impacts on heart health and can cause hardening of blood vessels. Saturated and trans fats are mainly found in animal products and highly processed foods.
Foods that contain saturated fat include:
Animal products (think the fat that you can see on meat)
Dairy foods
Processed foods such as chips, chocolate, biscuits and cakes
Deep fried foods such as hot chips, crumbed fish and spring rolls
Trans fats are found in:
Baked goods such as muffins, cakes, pastries and biscuits
Margarine
Deep fried foods