Understanding Fat - Part 4 - Healthy Fats: Practical Guide

Dec 12, 2025

Hi I’m Sammy,

Your Good Farm in-house nutritionist. Here to bring you essential information on nutrition, diet and permaculture gardening - in a bite size, easy to understand, science-backed way.

Healthy Fats: Practical Guide

The final article in the 4-Part Series on Understanding Fats (here are part one, two and three.

Now that you understand the different types of fat and why saturated fat isn’t the enemy, this final article brings everything together. The goal is to make choosing, storing and cooking with healthy fats practical and easy.

Choosing the Right Fats

Below is a clear overview of which fats to prioritise, which to moderate, and which to minimise.

Fats to Eat Liberally

Whole-food fats that are stable, nutrient-dense and supportive of hormone, brain and metabolic health.

Category	Examples	Why They’re Beneficial
High-quality saturated fats	Butter, ghee, coconut oil, full-fat dairy, eggs, grass-fed meats, lard, tallow	Stable at high heat; support hormone and cell-membrane structure
Monounsaturated fats	Extra virgin olive oil, avocado, macadamia nuts	Anti-inflammatory, heart-supportive, versatile for everyday cooking

Fats to Eat in Moderation

These fats are nutritious and part of a whole-food diet but are easy to overconsume and can contribute to an imbalanced omega-6: omega-3 ratio when eaten in large amounts.

Moderate Intake	Why
Nuts & seeds (almonds, peanuts, walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts)	Nutrient-dense but typically high in omega-6; very easy to overeat.
Whole-food omega-6 fats (chicken skin, tahini, seed butters)	Healthy in small amounts but concentrated sources of omega-6 which can crowd out omega-3 intake.

Fats to Limit or Avoid

These fats are highly processed, prone to oxidation, or consistently linked with inflammation and poor metabolic outcomes when consumed in excess.

Avoid / Minimise	Why
Industrial seed/vegetable oils: soybean, sunflower, safflower, canola, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed	Highly processed; prone to oxidation; often contain damaged polyunsaturated fats; associated with inflammation in excess.
Trans fats: margarine, shortening, processed baked goods, fried fast foods	Strong evidence links trans fats with inflammation, metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular risk.
High-heat–damaged oils	Any oil repeatedly heated (restaurants, commercial fryers); produces oxidised fats and toxic aldehydes.

Balancing the Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio

Modern diets tend to provide too much omega-6 and too little omega-3. Balancing this supports inflammation regulation, cognition and cardiovascular health.

Not all omega-3s behave the same

Omega-3 Type	Sources	Notes
Short-chain (ALA)	Flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts	Must convert to EPA/DHA; conversion rate is low.
Long-chain (EPA & DHA)	Wild-caught fatty fish, algae, selected supplements (quality cod liver oil & fish oil)	Directly usable by the body; strong anti-inflammatory effects.

Short-chain plant omega-3s (ALA) convert very poorly into EPA and DHA, so people who rely mostly on plant sources may benefit from including reliable sources of long-chain omega-3s, such as fatty fish or algae-derived EPA/DHA.

Your goals:
• Increase long-chain omega-3s
• Moderate omega-6 from processed oils
• Maintain a more balanced omega-6: omega-3 ratio

Fats to Cook With vs Eat Raw

The smoke point is the temperature at which an oil or fat begins to break down, creating off-flavours and potentially harmful oxidation products. Choosing fats that stay stable under heat helps protect nutrient quality and reduces your exposure to inflammatory compounds.

Cooking Fats & Smoke Points: Use This as a Guide

Oil / Fat	Approx. Smoke Point*	Best Use
Avocado oil (refined)	~250 °C	High-heat frying, roasting, grilling
Ghee	~230 °C	High-heat cooking, sautéing
Coconut oil (refined)	~200–210 °C	Medium- to high-heat cooking
Light / Refined olive oil	~220 °C	Sautéing, moderate-heat cooking
Macadamia oil	~200 °C	Medium-heat sautéing, roasting
Tallow (beef fat)	~200 °C	High-heat cooking, roasting
Lard	~185–190 °C	Frying, roasting
Duck fat	~185–190 °C	Roasting, sautéing at moderate heat
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)	~160–170 °C	Everyday cooking, light sautéing
Coconut oil (virgin / extra virgin)	~175 °C	Low- to moderate-heat cooking, baking
Walnut oil	~160 °C	Raw use, cold dressings, finishing
Sesame oil (unrefined)	~160 °C	Salad dressings, finishing oil, cold dishes
Butter	~150 °C	Low to moderate heat, gentle cooking
Hemp seed oil	— (raw only)	Cold use, drizzling, dressings
Flaxseed oil	— (raw only)	Cold use, drizzling, dressings

*These smoke-point values are approximate and conservative. Actual smoke points depend on oil freshness, refinement, storage, and heating conditions. Use stable fats for high heat cooking, and reserve delicate oils for dressings, finishing or cold use.

Choosing, Storing & Using Fats Wisely

1. Choose Quality Sources

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

• Buy local where possible (e.g., Australian EVOO), usually fresher with shorter transport times
• Check for a harvest date (more meaningful than “best before”)
• Imported oils may be older, heat-exposed, or blended with cheaper oils
• Buy smaller bottles so they’re used before oxidising

Animal fats (butter, ghee, lard, tallow, duck fat)

• Choose minimally processed: grass-fed butter, rendered tallow/lard from quality sources
• These are naturally stable due to lower PUFA content

2. Store Fats Correctly

Heat, light and oxygen accelerate rancidity.

For oils

• Keep in dark glass
• Store away from the stove in a cool cupboard
• Refrigerate delicate oils: flaxseed, hemp, walnut
• Store nuts, seeds and seed flours in the fridge or freezer; they oxidise quickly

For animal fats

Butter:
• Store in the fridge; freeze if not using within a few weeks
• Use covered butter dishes on the bench only for short periods

Ghee:
• Naturally shelf-stable because the milk solids are removed
• Store unopened in the pantry; refrigerate after opening for longest freshness

Lard, tallow, duck fat:
• Store in the fridge
• Freeze for long-term storage; they stay stable for months

3. Whole Seeds Before Seed Oils

Polyunsaturated seed oils are fragile and often degrade before they reach your kitchen.

• Be cautious with flaxseed oil unless extremely fresh and refrigerated
→ It’s usually better to grind whole flaxseeds fresh
• Prioritise using whole sesame seeds, tahini or freshly milled seeds instead of bottled seed oils

4. Use Fragile Oils as Finishing Oils

• Add sesame oil to dishes after cooking
• Use walnut or hemp oil only for salads, dips or drizzling
• Never heat flaxseed oil

Bringing It All Together

When you prioritise stable, whole-food fats, use them appropriately, and store them well, you naturally:
• support long-term brain, hormone and metabolic function
• reduce chronic inflammation
• enhance the flavour and nutrient quality of your meals
• minimise exposure to unstable or damaged fats
• build confidence in your food choices

And that’s it, fat is back, clarity is in, and your meals just got an upgrade. Enjoy.

Love, Sammy

Disclaimer

This 4-part series on Understanding Fats provides general educational information and reflects an evidence-informed, whole-food–focused approach to nutrition. It differs in several respects from the current Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG), which were last updated in 2013 and recommend limiting saturated fats and replacing them with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

Research published in the years since the ADG was developed includes large meta-analyses, improved methodology and higher-quality trials that reassess the relationship between saturated fat, cholesterol, refined carbohydrates, inflammation and cardiovascular risk. As a result, some practitioners and researchers interpret this newer evidence differently from the ADG.

This information is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Individuals with cardiovascular conditions, metabolic disease or other health concerns should consult a qualified health professional before making significant changes to dietary fat intake.

Understanding Fats Reference List

1. Saturated Fat & Cardiovascular Disease: Large Meta-Analyses

Siri-Tarino et al. (2010). Meta-analysis: saturated fat not associated with CHD, stroke, or CVD.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20071648/

Chowdhury et al. (2014). No clear evidence that saturated fat increases coronary risk.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24622692/

de Souza et al. (2015). Saturated fat not linked to CHD, stroke, or CVD mortality.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26116733/

Mozaffarian et al. (2010). Replacing saturated fat with refined carbohydrates does not reduce cardiovascular risk.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20685950/

2. Dietary Cholesterol & Updated Evidence

Berger et al. (2015). Dietary cholesterol has limited impact on blood cholesterol levels.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25756179/

3. Omega-6 : Omega-3 Ratio & Inflammation

Simopoulos (2002). The importance of balancing omega-6 and omega-3.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12442909/

Simopoulos (2016). Evolutionary perspective on inflammatory effects of an imbalanced ratio.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27083549/

Calder (2015). Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammation regulation.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25369996/

Gibson et al. (2011). Adults often fail to convert ALA to EPA/DHA sufficiently.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21801711/

4. Seed Oils, Oxidation & Toxic Aldehydes

Grootveld et al. (2015). Heating seed oils generates harmful aldehydes.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26689749/

Basu (2016). Oxidised lipids contribute to inflammation and metabolic issues.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27152123/

Čížková et al. (2020). Industrial seed oils are highly prone to oxidation.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33043107/

Guillén & Goicoechea (2008). Toxic compounds form when PUFA-rich oils are heated.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18494450/

5. Evidence Supporting Traditional Fats & Whole-Food Fat Sources

Lawrence (2013). Re-evaluation of saturated fat guidelines.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23829055/

Rosqvist et al. (2014). Butter/saturated fat increases energy expenditure; stored differently than PUFA.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25062790/

Covas (2007). Health benefits of extra virgin olive oil polyphenols.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17616766/

Schwab et al. (2014). Whole-food fats improve lipid markers more than refined fats.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24668373/

6. Ancestral & Evolutionary Research on Dietary Fat

Eaton & Konner (1985). Composition of ancestral diets and their fat ratios.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3983501/

Cordain et al. (2005). Hunter–gatherer dietary patterns and natural fat intake.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16341227/