Quick: Is fat good or bad?

Limiting fat intake is good, but it’s also important to get enough “good” fats in your diet while limiting the “bad” fats.

So which is which? Here’s a quick guide.

Bad Fat

Bad fats come in two forms: saturated fat and trans fat. Saturated fats raise both your “good” cholesterol (HDL) and your “bad” cholesterol (LDL).

High levels of LDL increase your risk of heart disease, thus earning its “bad” designation. Good cholesterol, on the other hand, is believed to carry excess bad cholesterol away from the arteries, slowing the buildup that causes heart disease.

Trans fats, meanwhile, get their bad reputation because they serve up a double whammy by raising your bad cholesterol while lowering your good cholesterol.

Limiting your intake of bad fats is part of a good eating strategy. To avoid saturated fats, limit animal fats in any form — choose lean cuts of red meat, and low-fat and fat-free dairy products. Also avoid palm, palm kernel and coconut oils.

Good Fat

Good fats, called essential fatty acids, include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These polyunsaturated fats aid in the body’s development, especially in the brain and eyes. They make cell membranes more flexible, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and improve the overall cardiovascular system.

Americans get plenty of omega-6 fatty acids in their diets because it’s contained in a wide variety of foods including cereals, eggs, poultry, vegetable oils and whole-grain breads.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that you eat foods like fatty fish, which are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, at least twice a week. Less than 25 percent of adults in the United States meet this guideline, but quick and easy entrees with fish, like LEAN CUISINE® Seafood Selections, are making it easier than ever to enjoy the benefits of omega-3.

A quick fish dish can also help give your brain a kick-start. It’s been found that omega-3 fatty acids help support healthy brain functioning associated with your ability to remember, reason and focus.

While eating fatty, cold-water fish is the most common way to introduce omega-3s into your diet, several other foods such as flaxseed, eggs, walnuts, pecans and hazelnuts also offer these beneficial fatty acids.