Fortunately, atherosclerosis can be prevented and reversed. A diet low in total fat, especially saturated fats, combined with aerobic exercise can lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. The higher your HDL cholesterol levels, the greater your protection from atherosclerosis. We have already discussed steps in lowering your total fat intake. Now it is time to discuss lowering your intake of saturated fats.
Saturated fats are solid and unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature.
No one food is totally one kind of fat or another, but your eyes can tell you the major type of fat present in the food. For example, butter is solid at room temperature, therefore it is mainly saturated. Olive oil, on the other hand is liquid, hence unsaturated. The fat in food is a little trickier, but follows the same rule of thumb. Beef fat is very hard at room temperature while fish fat is gel like.