Fat tends to get its fair share of bad press in the nutritional stakes, and in actual fact it’s quite unfair. A fatty diet is linked to colon and prostate cancers –  major killers of the male of the species – with heart disease up there as common killer of males and females too.

A fatty diet is linked to colon and prostate cancers as well as heart disease

It’s these sorts of stats that give fats a bad rap, alongside a dollop of misinformation and a glug of assumption, many don’t realise that consuming fat can be a good thing (yes, really!)

Well. in moderation. The average Brit consumes close to 35% of their daily calories from fat, which is too much according to the Health Education Authority, who recommend an intake of no more than 30% of ones daily calories from fat (these figures differ slightly for men and women).

The average Brit consumes close to 35% of their daily calories from fat

What often comes as a surprise for people is that there are a lot of different types of fat, and some of them are so good for you that they’re known as ‘essential fats’. So before you go nutritional fat shaming – learn which are good and bad and where they can be found.

Click right for info on the following 5 types of fat:

1. Saturated fats 

2. Monounsaturated fats 

3. Trans fatty acids 

4. Polyunsaturated fats 

5. Essential fatty acids