While certain types of vegetable oils are essential for health, eating too much of the wrong type of fat can be harmful.

Eating a lot of food high in saturated (fat that is solid at room temperature) and hydrogenated (trans) fat can harm blood cholesterol levels.

The Ministry of Public Health suggests to avoid eating food containing large amounts of saturated and hydrogenated fats​​. Here are the other health tips it recommends:

• Replacing saturated and trans-fat with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated improves cholesterol levels related to cardiovascular diseases (3) Low fat diets are not recommended for children under 2 years of age!.

​​​• Replace food high in saturated and trans-fat such as butter, cream, hard margarines, palm oil or ghee with food which contain mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat such as vegetable oils (e.g. olive, corn, sunflower).

• Choose low fat yogurt, laban and milk instead of full cream varieties. Steam, bake, broil, grill or sauté food instead of frying or deep frying. Remove the skin from chicken before cooking and before eating. If you buy margarine, read the nutrition label to compare how much saturated and transfat it contains.

• Choose a soft margarine that has 2 grams or less of saturated and trans-fat combined per serving.

• Limit consumption of sausages (e.g. nakanik), processed meats (e.g. sujuk) and luncheon meats.

• Choose protein alternatives such as legumes, nuts and seeds. Choose nuts that are unsalted, and not fried.

• Commercially processed baked food such as pastries, crackers, biscuits and cakes often contain high amounts of trans and saturated fat. Eat home-made baked goods instead.

• French fries can also be high in trans-fat. At home, try tossing wedges of potato or sweet potato in olive oil and bake.

• Keep your “everyday” food healthy. Save high fat food for occasions, not as a foundation for your everyday diet.

• Consume food with healthy fat such as walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, and canola oil with moderation.

• Be aware of fat and salt content in commercial salad dressing (e.g. mayonnaise). Limit dressings or try to make your own. Limit fast food such as burgers, french fries, shawarma and deep fried falafel.​