Although many people believe eating low-fat foods to slim down is the “weigh” to go, many nutrition experts recommend a healthier and more effective route: Eat good fats instead of bad ones.

A common sense approach is opting for a plant-based, whole-foods diet, one with plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and lean fats along with unrefined grains, beans and other legumes, says Daemon Jones, ND.

Jones also suggests including foods rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs)—especially omega-3 fats, commonly found in flaxseed oil and fish such as wild salmon.

“The biggest concern I have about low-fat diets is people may look for foods that are labeled low fat and eat low-fat junk foods instead of healthy whole foods,” the naturopathic doc says. “The right-fats diet is what’s essential for a healthy body.”

More advice from Jones: Replace saturated fat with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and eliminate unhealthy trans fats, often found in commercial baked goods.