Fats - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly For Skin Health

Fats have a bad name and we are told to avoid fats in our everyday diets. However, some fats are very important for our general wellbeing including healthy, radiant skin. Nutrition has moved away from the “all fats are bad” stance to “it’s the type of fat that matters, not the quantity”. Fats are an essential part of our diet but it is important to focus on the good fats in our diets and minimise the bad fats.

Beneficial fats “good” fats support healthy skin cell nutrition and the production of collagen as well as maintaining healthy blood flow to the skin. Fats help to absorb nutrients such as vitamin A and E which maintain skin integrity and fluidity. Good fats also help to moderate inflammation, a factor curtail to the management of many skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis.

Sources of good fats in our everyday diet include olive oil, sesame oil, nuts and seeds, avocado, deep sea fish such as mackerel, salmon, tuna, anchovies and sardines.

Saturated fats are found in animal products such as butter, cheese, whole milk and meats. High levels of saturated fats will contribute to inflammation which may contribute to a worsening of inflammatory skin conditions such as those listed above. While labelled a contributing factor to cardiovascular disease, eaten in moderation saturated fats are an acceptable part of a modern diet.

With saturated fats it is quantity that counts here and less than 10% of daily intake is considered acceptable. Combined with a diet high in antioxidants from fruit and vegetables, saturated fats don’t pose as great a risk as Trans fats.

Trans fats are created when a vegetable oil is changed from a liquid (as found naturally) to a solid. This is where we come to the “ugly” category. Trans fats have been linked to high cholesterol and heart disease. Trans fats also promote inflammation and will worsen any skin condition. They are found in margarines, deep fried foods and processed foods. To avoid trans fats it is important to read the labels of all packaged and processed foods.

The right kind of fats support our health and wellbeing, the wrong kinds of fats have numerous affects from promoting inflammation to cardiovascular disease. For skin health concentrating on good fats, minimising saturated fats and cutting out Trans fats is the key.