Hi there,

Thanks for your email.

You are absolutely right that the types of foods you're eating more of contain what we know as 'good fats'. Unfortunately whatever source fat comes from (good or bad fat) it still contains the same number of calories - 9 kcals per gram of fat. To explain, fat is the most energy dense nutrient there is, which means that there are more calories per gram of fat than from any other nutrients (e.g. carbs or protein).

The reason that fats are classified as 'good' or 'bad' is down to the effect the different types can have on our blood cholesterol levels, which in turn has a bearing on our risk of developing heart disease.

Good fats - such as those you are having - from olive oil, flaxseeds, avocado etc, are all UN-saturated fats. These still contain 9 kcal per gram, but they help to lower blood cholesterol levels. Because of this they can be helpful in reducing the risk of developing heart disease.

In contrast, bad fats (e.g. meat fat, dairy, cheese, pastry, cakes etc) are Saturated fats. These also contain 9kcal per gram, but they have been found to raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of developing heart disease.

So the best advice is not to necessarily increase the total amount of fat in your diet (by raising unsaturated fat intake), but to CHANGE the types of fat you have, replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats (not having them as well as).

The total amount of fat in your diet should remain below 33% of your total calorie intake, and you should keep an eye on the types of fats you're having.

In terms of practical ways to reduce your fat intake, maybe try and leave the olive oil on your avocado, and cut down the frequency you're having nuts and seeds. By all means these are great additions to your healthy diet, but be mindful of frequency and fat content of everything that you eat.

I hope this helps to explain the differences between fats. If there's anything that you are still curious about, please don't hesitate to get back in touch.

Best of luck with your weight loss

Janet