You need some fat in your diet to have energy and support healthy cells. As healthy as fat can be, you shouldn't eat an endless amount of it because it is high in calories and can contribute to weight gain. Also, you should emphasize healthier fats to reduce your risk of certain health problems.
Total Fat Intake
Your dietary fat percentage range changes as you age. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, children ages 1 to 3 should make fat about 30 to 40 percent of their total calories, children and teens 4 to 18 should get 25 to 35 percent of their calories from fat, and adults 19 and older can make fat 20 to 35 percent of their total calories. This translates to a wide range of fat calories for each person. For instance, if you are an adult eating an average 2,000-calorie diet per day, you can get about 50 to 70 g of total fat per day. Your doctor may recommend that you lower your intake to 20 percent if you're trying to lose weight or increase it to 35 percent if you're highly active.
Saturated Fat Intake
Eating too much saturated fat can increase your total and "bad" cholesterol levels and it may boost your chances of getting Type 2 diabetes, MayoClinic.com warns. Still, eating saturated fat in moderation is fine because some foods that contain saturated fat have other healthy properties. For instance, many dairy products are rich in bone-boosting calcium. Limit your saturated fat intake to no more than 7 to 10 percent of your daily calories. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this means limiting your intake to 15 to 22 g each day. Foods with saturated fat are foods from animals and foods containing palm, oil, cocoa butter, coconut and coconut oil. One 1-oz. serving of regular cheddar cheese contains about 6 g of saturated fat, 3 oz. of regular ground beef contains about 6.1 g and 1 cup of whole milk contains about 4.6 g.
Trans Fat Intake
Trans fatty acids, or partially hydrogenated oils, can raise your "bad" cholesterol and lower your "good" cholesterol, a double whammy that can seriously increase your risk of heart disease if you eat them in large amounts, the American Heart Association warns. Although no specific dose is recommended, the American Heart Association suggests limiting your intake to less than 1 percent of your calories. This amounts to 2 g per day if your daily diet is about 2,000 calories. Foods rich in trans fat include fried foods, fast foods and prepared desserts such as cakes and cookies. A single doughnut can contain about 3.2 g of trans fat, and a large order of french fries can pack on 6.8 g.
Unsaturated Fat Needs
Unsaturated fats are considered healthy because they can stabilize heart rhythms, improve your cholesterol and reduce inflammation that leads to disease. Although no strict guidelines have established your daily unsaturated fat needs, the Harvard School of Public Health suggests aiming for 10 to 25 percent of your calories from monounsaturated fats and 8 to 10 percent from polyunsaturated fats. Use unsaturated fats as a replacement for saturated and trans fats as often as possible. Foods rich in monounsaturated fats are avocados, almonds, hazelnuts, sesame seeds, canola oil and olive oil. Foods with polyunsaturated fats include flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, walnuts and fatty fish such as salmon.
References
- American Heart Association: Know Your Fats
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol: Out With the Bad, In With the Good
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Dietary Fat
- MayoClinic.com; Dietary Fats: Know Which Type to Choose;
- Penn Medicine; Fat in Your Diet; February 2011
- USDA: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010: Chapter 3: Foods and Food Components to Reduce
