Fat itself is not bad for us. In fact, it is an important nutrient with a lot of important functions within the body (e.g. it contains essential fatty acids and carries fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K). What is bad for our health is eating too much of certain types of fats and not enough of others.

Most European guidelines suggest that overall fat intake should make up no more than 30-35% of the total calories. No more than 10% of calories should come from saturated fats. This means that the remaining 20-25% of fat-intake calories should come from mono- and polyunsaturated fats.

Mono-unsaturated fats are found in a variety of foods. Olives and peanuts are particularly rich in mono-unsaturated fats.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in oily fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel. They are also found in plant foods such as soybean or nuts and seeds (for example, walnuts, sunflower seeds and chia seeds).

To cut out every kind of fat from your diet is not healthy. By considering the different types of fat in the foods you eat, you will be able to choose a healthy balance of fats.