02/02/2026
Even though fats are complicated, eating a fat-free diet is not good for your health. We need fats to survive.
Every cell is made of fat; our nerve coverings are made of fat; our brain is mostly fat; our hormones are made of fat; our cells and metabolism run better on fat. Fats help you absorb all of the beneficial fat-soluble vitamins in plant foods, and some fats have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
Don’t fear fat; instead, eat the right fats with every meal. Fat won’t make you fat, unless you eat it with starch and sugar like most Americans.
Eat 3 to 5 servings of fat per day, and eat fats mostly with vegetables.
Unless it is trans fat, it won’t cause heart disease.
My favorite fats are avocados, olives, nuts and seeds, and traditional oils like extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil. Small amounts of butter, grass-fed ghee, and coconut or MCT oil are fine for most.
If you’re eating a high-fat diet and are curious about how it’s affecting your body, I recommend looking into the NMR particle-size cholesterol test.
