Fat in Your Diet

What is dietary fat?

All fat is not bad. Some fat in the diet is actually necessary for good health. Fat helps you absorb fat-soluble nutrients (vitamins A, D, E, and K). It is an essential part of every cell in the body. In addition, fat makes food taste good. Fats and oils carry both flavor and aroma. For example, it is deep-frying in oil, not the potato, that makes French fries so tasty. Dietary fat comes mainly from fats, oils, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and processed foods.

The problem with fat is that it is very high in calories. If you eat more calories than your body can use, you may develop health problems. These problems include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, gallstones, and gout.

How much fat do I need in my diet?

Every gram of fat you eat contains 9 calories. A gram of carbohydrate or protein is only 4 calories.

Between 20% and 35% of your daily calories should come from fat. Today, the average American gets 33% of daily calories from fat. Major sources of fat are meats, whole milk, pastries, cheese, margarine, and mayonnaise. It is important to look at the kinds of fat in your diet, as well as how much fat you eat.

Saturated fat is high in cholesterol and includes animal fats, coconut oil, palm oil, and any foods containing these ingredients. Less than 10% of your total daily calories should come from saturated fats.
Trans fat is a kind of processed fat found in snack foods, fried foods, and hydrogenated vegetable oils. Less than 1% of your total calories should come from trans fatty acids.
Polyunsaturated fat is found in vegetable oils, nuts, and high-fat fish. No more than 10% of your total calories should come from these sources.
Monounsaturated fat is the "healthiest" of the 3 fats. It contains the same amount of calories and fat as the other fats, but it helps to increase HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood. Monounsaturated fat, such as olive and canola oils may provide up to 20% of your total calories.

Eating a low-fat diet can help you lower high blood cholesterol. Too much cholesterol increases your chances of atherosclerosis (clogged arteries), which can lead to heart attack or stroke. A low-fat diet and regular exercise will help decrease your risk and can also help you shed excess pounds if you are overweight.

How can I recognize dietary fat?

You probably recognize a stick of butter or a bottle of cooking oil as fat. However, there are many foods in which the fat is hidden. For example, even if you cut all the fat off a piece of meat, the remaining meat still contains a lot of fat.

Cookies, cakes, desserts, and ice cream are well-known for their high sugar content. However, they are loaded with fat, too. Salad dressings are often almost pure oil. Sandwich fillings (cheese, cold cuts, and peanut butter) are all high in fat. Even avocados, olives, and nuts have oil in them.

Cooking can add a lot of fat. Fast foods like hamburgers, fries, onion rings, hot dogs, tacos, burritos, fish and chips, and pizzas are tasty, convenient, and inexpensive. However, they can be high in fat. Fat can be added easily at home, too. For example, cooking in butter or adding sour cream adds fat.

How can I cut down on my fat consumption?

Eat less of the foods that contain fat (meat, poultry, high-fat fish, cooking oils, margarine, and dairy products) and eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Start thinking about eating less fat when you shop for groceries. Try to follow these suggestions:

Read food labels.
Choose low-fat sour cream, reduced fat cream cheese, and 1% milk.
Replace butter and margarine with canola or olive oil, the "healthy" fats. Choose fats and oils that contain less than 2 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon. Continue to watch your portion size as these are still high in fat and calories.
Use low-fat or fat-free salad dressings. Try a flavored vinegar on your salad for none of the fat and lots of flavor.
Try to have cookies and desserts only as a special treat, not every day.
Steam vegetables with herbs in the microwave, instead of frying them with butter in a skillet.
Avoid trans fats found in meat and dairy products and hydrogenated vegetable or fish oils.
Eat fish at least 2 times a week.
Eat fast food in moderation, and when you do, choose grilled chicken or a salad without dressing.
Choose fruits or yogurt for a healthy snack.

Fat is not bad, but it can be unhealthy if you eat too much. Become aware of the amount and kinds of fat in your diet. Reducing the fat in your diet can be your first step to a healthier diet and a healthier you.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIA File NTR4709F.HTM Release 9.0/2006