Not all fat is bad for you, but all fat contains a lot of calories. So, even healthy fat can cause you dietary grief if you eat too much of it. The exact amount you need depends on your age, sex, weight, level of activity, and whether you aim to maintain, lose or gain weight. Some guidelines about fat gram consumption can help you keep your fat intake under control.
Total Fat
A healthy adult should obtain 20 to 35 percent of calories from fat. If you follow a 2,000-a-day diet, you should limit your total fat calories to no more than 700 calories. A gram of fat contains 9 calories. So, your total fat intake each day should fall between 44g and 77g of fat. A healthy diet will include more monounsaturated fats, such as those found in olive oil, than saturated fat found in red meat.
Saturated Fat
No more than 10 percent of your daily calories should come from saturated fat, which is found in all animal products. If you keep your saturated fat calories to seven percent of your daily total, you further limit your risk of heart disease. If you consume 2,000 calories per day, limit saturated fat to 16g to 22g or 140 to 200 calories a day. A 6-inch meatball sub contains 9g of saturated fat and 23g of total fat. A fast-food grilled chicken sandwich contains 1.5g of saturated fat and 7g of total fat.
Trans-Fats
Trans-fat, found in margarine and shortening, can increase your risk of heart disease. Commercial baked goods and snack foods may also contain trans-fat. You should avoid trans-fat as much as you can -- certainly no more than 1 percent, which is about 2g or less per day. Margarine contains 3g of trans-fat and 2g of saturated fat per tbsp. Trans-fats raise both your unhealthy cholesterol -- low density lipoprotein or LDL -- and lower your healthy cholesterol -- high density lipoprotein or HDL.
Healthy Fats
Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats can help lower your cholesterol. You can find them in olive oil, canola oil and in nuts. The fat in fish contains omega-3 oils, which can help protect you against heart disease. When you eat animal protein, choose ones with lower amounts of saturated fat. Lean poultry, for instance makes a better choice than ham. You can also reduce saturated fat by making an occasional meatless meal. Try a whole-grain pasta in marinara sauce or a vegetable stir-fry served over brown rice.
References
- Mayo Clinic: When Assessing the Fat Content of Foods, Which Should I Focus on -- Fat Grams, Calories or Percentages? Katherine Zeratsky
- Mayo Clinic: Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines
- Cleveland Clinic: Fitting Fast Foods Into a Heart-Healthy Diet
- Cleveland Clinic: Butter vs. Margarine
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