Heart-Smart Oils

Sorting Out Fats

Cooking oils are a mixture of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fats. Trans fats are created when oils are partially solidified (hydrogenated), such as in margarine or shortening. Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats may help lower total blood cholesterol when used in place of saturated fats or trans fats. Consider below how each type of fat generally affects cholesterol levels in the blood.

Key: LDL = “bad” cholesterol; HDL = “good” cholesterol

Monounsaturated Fat: Lowers total cholesterol, lowers LDL cholesterol, raises or maintains HDL cholesterol

Polyunsaturated Fat: Lowers total cholesterol, lowers LDL cholesterol, may lower HDL cholesterol

Saturated Fat: Raises total cholesterol, raises LDL cholesterol, may raise HDL cholesterol

Trans Fat: Raises total cholesterol, raises LDL cholesterol, may lower HDL cholesterol