Does eating “good” fats instead of “bad” fats help me lose weight?
No, all fats have the same amount of calories per gram—about double the amount in a gram of carbohydrate or protein. Regardless of the source, if you eat more calories than you need you will gain weight. In terms of dietary fats, it’s important to replace the “bad” fats (saturated and trans fats) with the “better” fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) to reduce your risk of heart disease, while also controlling the total amount of calories you eat. To help reduce calories and lose weight, reduce portion sizes, cut down on high-calorie between-meal snacks and desserts, beverages and foods with added sugars, and pick reduced-fat or low-fat varieties of meat and dairy products. For more information, see our 2006 Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations. For practical tips, learn how to Live Fat-Sensibly.
