If you read the back of you packet of crackers, you might be horrified to find out that they actually contain a good deal of fat. However, before you banish them from your life completely, read this to find out the difference between good fat, and bad fat.

Good fat
Yes, your crackers have fat in them, but if you look closely, you’ll see that only point something of a gram of this is saturated fat (that’s the bad stuff). The rest is essential for a healthy diet (within reason).

These good fats also go by the name of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat – it’s essential for bodily functions but your body can’t produce it itself, so that’s why you need to include it in your diet.

These fats help to build cell membranes, the exterior casing of each cell, and the sheaths surrounding nerves. They’re also vital to blood clotting, muscle contraction and relaxation, and inflammation.

You can find these fats in things like vegetable oils and fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring and trout).  You’ll also get what you need from nuts and seeds.

Bad fat
This is the delicious kind of fat, also known as saturated fats and trans fats. It’s found in buns, cakes, butter, cheese, meat, fast food and just about anything that’s really tasty. You should reduce this kind of fat from your diet as much as possible, as it can lead to blockages in your arteries and high blood pressure down the line.