Good Fats vs. Bad Fats:

What I Actually Use (and What I Avoid)

Let’s clear something up: fat isn’t the problem. The type of fat you eat is.

Back in the 1950s and 60s, fat got blamed for heart disease after some flawed early research and government pressure shaped public nutrition guidelines. That kicked off the low-fat era with margarine, fat-free snacks, and sugar-loaded “diet” foods. The food industry replaced natural fats with processed oils and additives, and we’ve been paying for it since. Today, we’re seeing more hormone imbalances, blood sugar issues, gut problems, and chronic inflammation than ever.

As a functional medicine practitioner, I see it all the time. People eating “clean” but still struggling with bloating, fatigue, stubborn weight, and inflamed skin. One of the first places I look is their fats.

Fat isn’t just a fuel source. It’s a building block for your hormones, your brain, and every single cell membrane in your body. The wrong fats can clog up detox pathways, spike inflammation, and throw off gut health. The right ones help stabilize blood sugar, reduce cravings, and support healthy metabolism and mood.

The Fats I Avoid

There are certain oils I stay far away from, and it’s not because of hype. It’s because they are:

• High in omega-6 fatty acids (which we already get way too much of)
• Chemically processed and refined
• Unstable when heated, which makes them oxidize and create inflammatory compounds

Here’s what’s on my “skip” list: Canola oil, Soybean oil, Sunflower oil, Safflower oil, Corn oil, Anything labeled “vegetable oil”

These are everywhere: in restaurant food, processed snacks, dressings, protein bars, even “health” foods. They mess with your omega-3 to omega-6 balance, drive inflammation, and don’t do your gut or hormones any favors.

What I Use Instead

Instead of these highly processed, unstable oils, I stick to fats that are more natural, stable under heat, and actually support my metabolism, hormones, and gut health.

🧈 Grass-fed butter or ghee
I use this for cooking meat or seafood. It’s rich in fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K2, and has butyrate, which supports gut lining health. Ghee is a good option if you’re dairy-sensitive since it’s free of lactose and casein.

🫒 Extra virgin olive oil
This one is stocked in my kitchen for salads, drizzling over veggies, or dipping. I bring mine back from Italy (because I’m picky), but Nuvo is a great family-run California brand. I avoid using it for high-heat cooking and stick to low heat or raw use to keep the antioxidants intact.

🥩 Tallow
This is rendered beef fat, and I use it for high-heat cooking or roasting. It’s stable, packed with healthy saturated fats, and totally underrated. I like Paleovalley’s tallow for quality and sourcing.

🥑 Avocado oil
Good for baking or grilling. It has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor, but sourcing matters. I stick with Chosen Foods since not all avocado oil is pure or tested for oxidation.

If you’ve been eating “healthy” but still feel off, whether it’s brain fog, joint stiffness, low energy, breakouts, or painful periods, it might be time to take a closer look at your fats. Small changes here can have a big impact.

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