Most foods that contain fatty acids have a variety of fats. Saturated fat and cholesterol come from animal-based fatty foods. They provide energy in limited quantities but are harmful in excess. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat in foods can come from plant or animal sources and are beneficial in moderation.
Trans fat is a synthesized form of fat most commonly created by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil. Unlike the other fats, trans isn't an essential fatty acid. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends removing trans fat from your diet.
Saturated Fat
Saturated fat in foods carries high calories and raises your LDL, or "bad" blood cholesterol levels. Animal meats, fish, some dairy products and foods processed with butter or lard contain greater amounts of saturated than unsaturated fats. The FDA considers foods with 4 g or more of the 20 g total daily saturated fat value high-content saturated fatty foods.
Sources for high amounts of saturated fatty acids include beef, lamb, chicken, duck, turkey and whole milk. Hotdogs, hamburgers, fried fish sandwiches, tuna fish, salad and tacos represent fatty entrees.
Cholesterol
Your body produces its own cholesterol, so you don't need dietary sources of this fat-like substance. Present in animal-based food products, dietary cholesterol is tolerable in limited amounts, but too much causes plaque buildup in the walls of your blood vessels that that can induce dangerous blockages.
The FDA sets your average daily limit at 300 mg of cholesterol, with content of 60 mg or more per serving considered detrimental toward your risk for heart disease. Fatty foods with high cholesterol amounts include eggs, organ meats, shellfish such as shrimp, and fish such as haddock and salmon.
Trans Fat
Like saturated fat, trans fat in foods raises your LDL cholesterol and promotes heart disease. Because this unnecessary nutrient contributes no benefits to your metabolism and health, the FDA doesn't recommend a daily intake value. Instead, the FDA recommends that you should refrain from eating as trans fat as much as possible. Donuts, hard margarine, vegetable shortening and items such as commercially-prepared cookies and cakes are among the fatty foods that contain trans fat.
Unsaturated Fat
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids have different molecular structures than other types of fat in foods. Monounsaturated fats, found in nuts, seeds and plant-based cooking oils such as safflower and olive oils, don't raise your LDL cholesterol.
Polyunsaturated fats, present in nuts, seeds, beans, fish, meats and grains, and in small amounts in fruits and vegetables, benefit your health by displacing detrimental fat from your diet. Measure unsaturated fats as portions of your 65 g total-fat daily allowance.
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