Not All Fats Are Bad

The right kind of fat can be good for your heart. Eating the polyunsaturated, omega-3 fatty acids found in some fish and tofu, canola oil and walnuts may reduce your risk of a heart attack, say health experts at the University of Washington. What's more, middle-aged and older people may reduce their risk of heart disease shortly after adding one or two servings per week of fatty fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel to their diets. Ways omega-3 fatty acids help: They decrease the risk of arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death; they decrease the formation of blood clots; and they reduce triglyceride levels.