Healthy Fats: The Complete Guide to Good Fats

Key Takeaways

• Not all dietary fat affects your heart, cholesterol, or blood sugar the same way. The type of fat matters more than the total grams of fat you eat.
• Unsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, support healthy cholesterol levels and metabolic stability.
• Replacing trans fats and highly processed fats with whole-food sources of fat can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and support long-term health.

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For decades, fat was framed as the villain of a healthy diet. Grocery shelves were filled with low-fat products, margarine replaced butter, and many people were taught to avoid high-fat foods altogether. Yet despite these changes, rates of heart disease and type 2 diabetes continued to rise. Today, nutrition science reveals there is more to the story. Fat isn’t the enemy; it’s actually a critical component to every cell in the body. What truly matters is the type of fat you are consuming, as it can play a powerful role in cholesterol levels, blood pressure, blood sugar regulation, and overall heart health.¹

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Understanding how different types of fat affect your body can help you make informed choices that support cardiovascular health without unnecessary restriction.

Why Healthy Fats Matter

Dietary fat has several important functions in the body. Fats provide long-lasting energy, support brain and hormone health, and help your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K.¹ Fats also slow digestion, which can reduce sharp blood sugar spikes caused by carbohydrates.

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Including enough fat in your meals helps you feel fuller longer and gives you sustained energy throughout the day. Diets that are low-fat often increase the intake of refined carbohydrates and added sugars, which can have negative impacts on triglycerides and insulin sensitivity.²

Types of Healthy Fats

Not all fats affect the body in the same way. Let’s unpack the major types of dietary fat and clarify which ones you should prioritize and which you should limit.

Unsaturated Fats

Unsaturated fats are widely recognized as heart-healthy fats. They can help lower LDL cholesterol and support healthy lipid levels when they replace saturated or trans fats in the diet.¹

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• Monounsaturated fats are found in foods like olive oil, avocado, pecans, macadamia nuts, and peanut butter. These fats are associated with improved cholesterol levels and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.²
• Polyunsaturated fats include omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids.
• Omega-3s are especially beneficial for heart health and are found in fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel, and salmon, as well as plant-based sources like flaxseed and chia seeds.
• Omega-6 fatty acids are found in vegetable oils and seed oils like soybean oil, canola oil, safflower oil, and sunflower seed oil. While omega-6 fats are essential, most people consume them in far higher amounts than omega-3s, largely due to the widespread use of seed oils in processed foods. This dietary pattern of high omega-6s and low omega-3s can increase inflammation in the body.

The goal is not to eliminate omega-6 fats, but to find balance by increasing omega-3-rich foods and limiting ultra-processed sources of omega-6s. When consumed in a healthy ratio, both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids support proper immune function and long-term heart health.¹

Saturated Fats

Saturated fats are found in foods like red meat, whole milk, dairy products, coconut oil, and palm oil. While saturated fat may raise LDL cholesterol, newer research suggests that saturated fat does not directly raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular disease.²

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Small amounts of saturated fat can fit into a healthy diet. Problems tend to arise when saturated fats replace healthier fats or are consumed alongside processed foods and added sugars.

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Fat metabolism varies from person to person, so the best approach is always personalized. People with certain medical conditions, or a family history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular issues, should talk to their doctor or dietitian about the right amount of saturated fats to include in their diet.

Trans Fats

Trans fats are the most harmful type of fat for heart health. They are found in partially hydrogenated oils used in products such as margarine, baked goods, ice cream, and other processed foods. Trans fats raise LDL cholesterol, lower HDL cholesterol, increase triglycerides, and significantly increase the risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association and Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend avoiding trans fats entirely whenever possible.¹

How Healthy Fats Affect Cholesterol and Heart Health

Cholesterol is transported through the blood by lipoproteins, including LDL and HDL. Diets rich in unsaturated fats are associated with lower LDL cholesterol, higher HDL cholesterol, and better overall lipid profiles.¹

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Omega-3 fatty acids have a positive effect on cardiovascular health by reducing triglycerides, supporting optimal blood pressure, and lowering the risk of heart disease. Research consistently shows that replacing saturated and trans fats with healthier options, such as unsaturated fats, improves multiple markers of heart health.³

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What’s important to note is that dietary cholesterol itself has a smaller effect on blood cholesterol than once believed (so go ahead and eat those eggs!). Instead, factors such as overall dietary pattern, fat quality, fiber intake, and added sugar intake play a larger role in cholesterol levels.

Healthy Fats, Blood Sugar, and Energy

Fats slow down digestion and carbohydrate absorption, which can help blunt post-meal blood sugar spikes. Eating carbohydrates alongside healthy fats supports steadier glucose levels and reduces sharp rises and dips in energy.

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Meals that include healthy fats, fiber, and protein together help you feel fuller longer and reduce the urge to graze between meals. This balanced approach supports a healthy metabolism and provides consistent energy throughout the day.

How to Incorporate Healthy Fats Into Your Diet

Including more healthy fats in your routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple swaps and additions can make a meaningful difference.

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• Cook with olive oil or avocado oil instead of margarine or butter.
• Add seeds like chia seeds or flaxseed to salads, yogurt, or smoothies.
• Include fatty fish like sardines or salmon a couple of times per week.
• Snack on whole nuts or nut butters with minimal ingredients instead of highly processed snacks.
• Use vegetable oils and seed oils sparingly and avoid partially hydrogenated oils altogether.

While fats can be healthy, portion size still matters. Pay attention to your fullness cues and avoid overeating. By focusing on high-quality fats and eating mindfully, you can stay on track with your health goals without having to count calories or grams of fat.

Common Misconceptions About Fat

A common myth is that all high-fat diets are unhealthy. In reality, diets rich in healthy fats from whole foods with limited processed foods can have many health benefits.

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Another misconception is that low-fat diets are always better than high-fat diets. Removing fat from the diet often leads to increased intake of refined carbohydrates and added sugars, which can worsen blood sugar control and lipid levels.

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Supplements such as fish oil can have many benefits, but they should not be seen as a replacement for a balanced diet. When it comes to getting the nutrients you need, it’s important to always take a food-first approach and use supplements as they are intended, to supplement your diet.

How Signos Can Help You Understand Fat and Glucose Responses

Different types of fat can affect blood sugar levels in different ways, especially when combined with carbohydrates or eaten at different times of day. With Signos, you can move beyond general nutrition advice and see how your body responds to fat in real time.

How Signos supports this insight:

• Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM): See how meals higher in saturated, unsaturated, or mixed fats influence post-meal glucose stability, spike height, and recovery time.
• Meal logging + glucose overlays: Connect specific meals to glucose responses to understand whether fat slows digestion, smooths spikes, or contributes to prolonged elevations when paired with refined carbs.
• Weekly Insights: Identify patterns over time, such as meals that keep you in the optimal (purple) zone longer or combinations that lead to delayed glucose rises hours later. Compare trends across days or weeks to see how higher-fat meals impact energy levels, overnight glucose stability, or next-day performance.

Experiments to try with Signos:

• Fat type comparison: Eat the same carb-based meal on two different days: once paired with unsaturated fats (olive oil, avocado) and once with saturated fats (butter, cheese), and compare spike size and return to baseline.
• Fat timing test: Try a higher-fat meal earlier in the day versus later in the evening and observe differences in glucose stability and overnight trends.
• Fat + fiber experiment: Add fiber-rich vegetables to a higher-fat meal and see whether glucose stays more stable compared to a similar meal without fiber.
• Portion awareness: Keep the ingredients the same but vary the fat quantity to understand how portion size affects glucose duration and recovery.

By observing trends over time, Signos helps you understand not just what you’re eating, but how different fats interact with your metabolism, so you can make more personalized choices, maintain steadier energy, and reach your goals faster.

The Bottom Line

Healthy fats are an essential part of any diet. Prioritizing unsaturated fats and whole foods while limiting trans fats and highly processed foods is the best way to support cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and long-term cardiovascular health.

Learn More With Signos’ Expert Advice

Signos combines cutting-edge research with the proven benefits of continuous glucose monitoring to help you achieve your health goals. Check out more articles on the Signos blog.