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Dietary fats

Key facts

  • Dietary fats are an important part of your diet — they are an energy-dense nutrient and help you absorb vitamins A, D, E and K.
  • There are different types of fats, including unhealthy saturated fats and trans fats, and unsaturated fats that are healthier for you.
  • Cholesterol is a fat found in foods and in your blood — 'good' cholesterol is called HDL cholesterol and 'bad' cholesterol is called LDL cholesterol.
  • 'Bad' cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease.
  • Unsaturated fats are found in foods like fish, avocado, nuts and seeds, while saturated fats are found in fast foods, processed foods, meats, pastries and butter.

What are fats?

Fats are an essential part of your diet. They are important for your health. Fats are a source of energy and help you absorb vitamins A, D, E and K.

Fats are an energy dense nutrient. This means there is a lot of energy (kilojoules) in a small amount of food.

There are different types of fats, including saturated fats, unsaturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol. Some are healthier for you than others.

Are fats good for me?

Unsaturated fats are an important part of your healthy diet. You can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and lower your cholesterol, when you swap foods high in saturated fats for foods high in unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are also good for your skin, eyes and brain.

There are 2 main types of unsaturated fats:

  • polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3 and omega-6 fats
  • monounsaturated fats

You can find unsaturated fats in these foods:

  • avocados
  • almonds, cashews, peanuts, pine nuts, walnuts and Brazil nuts
  • cooking oils including canola, olive, peanut, soybean, rice bran, sesame and sunflower
  • spreads made from soybean, sunflower, safflower or canola
  • fish, especially tuna, salmon, sardines and blue mackerel
  • tahini
  • linseed (flaxseed) and chia seeds

Unhealthy fats are saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats are normally solid at room temperature. Trans fats are unsaturated fats that have been processed. They behave like saturated fats.

Saturated fats and trans fats raise levels of 'bad' cholesterol, reduce your levels of 'good' cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease.

You will find saturated fats in these foods:

  • dairy foods — butter, cream, full-fat milk and cheese
  • meats — beef, pork, lamb, most sausages, chicken skin and processed meats
  • coconut oil, milk and cream
  • palm oil and cooking margarine
  • snacks — chips, cakes, biscuits, pastries, chocolate and ice-cream
  • takeaway foods — pies, deep-fried foods, chicken nuggets, some burgers and pizzas

You can find trans fats in these foods:

  • many packaged foods
  • butter
  • some margarine (in small amounts), deep-fried and processed foods, cakes and pastries

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of fat found in your blood that your body needs to build cells and produce certain hormones. It comes from two sources: your liver naturally produces it, and it's also found in some foods such as meat and dairy products.

While your body needs some cholesterol to function well, too much of it can build up in your arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

There are two main types: "bad" cholesterol (LDL), which can clog arteries, and "good" cholesterol (HDL), which helps remove LDL from your blood.

If you have too much 'bad' LDL cholesterol in your blood, you can increase your risk of heart disease. Eating large amounts of saturated and trans fats increase your LDL cholesterol.

Read more about cholesterol.

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Find your healthy weight range — see how BMI and waist circumference can help.

How can I include healthy fats in my diet?

To stay healthy, fats should make up 35% of the energy you eat. Less than 10% of the total energy (kilojoules) you eat or drink should come from saturated and trans fat.

Choose products that are higher in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Avoid foods that contain saturated fats and 'hydrogenated oils' or 'partially hydrogenated vegetable oils' because these contain trans fats.

Learn how to check food labels.

To learn more about how to make healthy food choices, ask your GP or a dietitian (an expert in food and nutrition).

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Healthy-eating tips

Here are some tips to replace unhealthy fats with healthy fats:

  • Use extra virgin olive oil in cooking, instead of coconut oil or butter.
  • Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats; for example, use avocado, tahini, nut or seed butter instead of dairy butter.
  • Eat fish, especially oily fish, twice a week.
  • Snack on nuts or add them to your cooking.
  • Choose lean meats and trim any fat you can see (including chicken skin).
  • Use table spreads that have less than 0.1g of trans fats per 100g.

Resources and support

Do you prefer to read in languages other than English?

Looking for information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people?

Read the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Guide to Healthy Eating (Opens in new tab).

Last reviewed: October 2024

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