Remember the fat-free craze that took over the country not too long ago? How did you do with that? I remember eating many Snackwell fat-free chocolate cookies as a teenager and never feeling quite satisfied. But hey, they were fat free!

A healthy percentage of high-quality fat in a meal satisfies us and leaves feelings of energy, fulfillment and warmth. Fat-free packaged foods are often filled with sugar, salt and artificial flavorings to make up for the lack of taste and satisfaction. So let’s demystify the good and the bad fats so you can satisfy your body in a healthy and natural way.

Fats and oils from whole foods and other high-quality sources can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair and nails and provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly. Our bodies also need fat for insulation, proper brain function, and to protect and hold our organs in place. Signs of insufficient high-quality fats are brittle hair and nails, dry skin, hunger after meals, and feeling cold, flighty or ungrounded.

Not all oils and fats are created equal, however. Let’s talk about the two worst culprits:

Trans fats:

A term you most likely have heard floating around these days. Trans fats are created by artificially hydrogenating vegetable oil in order to stabilize and solidify the oil, thereby creating a longer shelf life, which is quite beneficial to the food industry but not so good for consumers- margarine and vegetable shortening are perfect examples.

These heavily processed oils are used in many prepared, packaged, and fast foods and can be extremely damaging to the body. Trans fatty acids can interfere with your hormonal and healing systems, damage your cells and promote the development of cancer.

Luckily legislation was passed in recent years requiring food companies to label foods made with trans fatty acids, so we as consumers now have the choice to avoid trans fats. When you read the ingredients on packaged foods, I urge you to avoid anything made with ‘hydrogenated’ or ‘partially hydrogenated’ vegetable oils, or that list any amount of ‘trans fats’ in the breakdown of fat percentages.

Some positive trends have been occurring across our country, one of which is that New York City recently banned trans fats from all New York City restaurants! I must add, proudly, that my nutrition school, The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, had a large hand in this landmark success. Let there be more cities to follow.

Saturated Fats:

It is a heart-healthy choice to lower your intake of saturated fats, mostly found in fatty meats, dairy products, cottonseed and palm kernel oils. One exception to this is my favorite oil: raw, unrefined coconut oil. Although a saturated fat, coconut oil, in moderation, has been found to have many healing health benefits; it contains lauric acid (the anti-viral acid present in breast-milk), it stimulates the thyroid and provides sustainable energy, just to name a few. I love putting a small amount in my hot breakfast cereal. Yum!

When there are excess fats and oils in the diet, especially heavily processed fats, which include polyunsaturated vegetable oils, symptoms can include weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, liver strain and an overall feeling of mental, physical and emotional heaviness.

Here are some of the many sources of healthy fats and oils:

• For sautéing and baking, try small amounts of organic butter, ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil (up to 360°) because they do not break down when used at high temperatures.
• When sautéing foods at moderate temperatures, try organic extra virgin olive oil (you can add some water to moderate your use of oil).
• Oils like flaxseed, toasted sesame, walnut and pumpkin seed are best used unheated in sauces or dressings on top of salads, veggies or grains.
• Other healthy fats are found in whole nuts and seeds and in their butters like almond butter or tahini, made from sesame seeds.
• Whole foods such as avocados, olives and coconuts are great sources of healthy fat, along with wild salmon and organic eggs.

Experiment with these healthy fat sources and see which work best for you and leave you satisfied.

When selecting oils, buy the highest-quality organic products you can afford, since cooking oils are the backbone of so many dishes. Good words to look for on the label are: organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin and unrefined. Words to avoid are: refined and solvent extracted.

Even though the oils mentioned above are healthy, they can oxidize and turn into ‘bad fats’ if not stored properly. I suggest you

• throw out any oils that have been around for more than a year or that smell rancid.
• Keep oils out of sunlight (dark colored bottles are best). Store them in a cool, dark place, and
• keep the caps on tightly to avoid exposure to air. Don’t let your oils go rancid!

One word to the wise: eat fats and oils in moderation! Just because extra virgin olive oil is good for you, it doesn’t mean that more of it is better, right Dad? It’s still a processed oil after all and it does contain fat. So, enjoy good fats in moderation, and your body and taste buds will thank you.