Controlling the amount of fat intake in your diet may help to reduce the risk of high cholesterol and coronary heart disease. Consuming saturated and trans fat, known as the "bad" fats, increases that risk. The recommended daily limit on total fat intake is approximately 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories, according to MayoClinic.com. Teens Health from Nemours mentions that fats help to absorb vitamins, such as A, D, E and K, which are essential for proper growth. Eliminating all fats from your diet is not advisable because fats cells help protect your nerve cells and insulate your body to keep in warm. Consult with your health care provider to discuss what your fat percentage number should be.
Calculate Calories From Fat
Step 1
Locate the calories from fat number and the total calories number. The nutritional information is available in a dedicated information panel on the food packaging. However, for bulk food items that do not provide a nutritional label, you can visit the United States Department of Agriculture's National Nutrient Database, located in the Resources section, to find the numbers.
Step 2
Divide calories from fat by total calories. Multiply by 100.
An example would be a food item that contains 100 calories and 20 calories from fat. Divide 20 by 100 and then multiply by 100. That food item contains 20 percent of its total calories from fat.
Step 3
Calculate your total daily intake by adding up the total calories consumed, total fat calories and substitute those numbers in the formula in Step 1 to find out your total fat percentage for the day.
Calculate Fat Percentage
Step 1
Locate the fat grams and total calories on the food label. If the food item does not contain the nutritional values, you can visit the USDA National Nutrient Database listed in the Resources section to find the information.
Step 2
Multiply the fat gram number by nine since 1 g of fat is equal to nine calories; then divide by the total calories of the food.
For example, if the food item contains 3 g fat and 120 calories, multiply three by nine, then divide by 120 and the fat percentage for that food item is 22.5 percent.
Step 3
Compute your total fat percentage intake for that day by adding the total fat grams, multiplying that number by nine, and then dividing by the total calories from food consumed.
Tips and Warnings
- Some fat percentages may be higher when calculating if the food item contains polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, such as in nuts, olive oil, canola oil and nut oils, which are "good" fats. Writing down the numbers needed for calculation during the day in a journal may help you easily keep track of the numbers in order to perform the daily calculation at the end of the day.
- Calculating fat percentage is only a small part in following a healthy diet routine. Consulting with a dietitian or physician may help you to establish a dietary program designed for your particular needs.
Things You'll Need
- Nutrition label
- Calculator
- Journal
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