Though it often gets a bad reputation, fat is a key part of any eating plan. Fats provide energy, support healthy cells and help your body absorb necessary vitamins. It is important to know that some types of fat are better for you than others. Unsaturated fats can boost your heart health, while saturated and trans fats can have the opposite effect. Limiting your total fat consumption and opting for healthier fats can protect your heart and keep you mission ready!

Eating foods with fat is essential for your body to work properly. Your body needs fat for proper cell growth and vitamin absorption. Fats strengthen your hair and skin, cushion your organs and help your body stay warm. They also play a role in brain development, blood clotting and reducing inflammation.

Kinds of Fat

  • Unsaturated Fats
  • Saturated Fats
  • Trans Fats

Unsaturated fats include monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. They are usually liquid at room temperature and will harden with cold exposure. Both types can lower your cholesterol and help your body grow healthy cells. Polyunsaturated fat also provides omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential nutrients your body cannot make itself. Most unsaturated fats come from plant sources.

  • Avocado
  • Peanut Butter
  • Nuts (e.g., almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts)
  • Seeds (e.g., pumpkin, sesame)
  • Nontropical vegetable oils (e.g., olive, canola, peanut, safflower, sesame)

Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature. They are found in animal-based products and tropical oils. Eating too much saturated fat can raise your cholesterol levels, which increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. It is recommended that less than 10% of your daily calories come from saturated fat.

  • Meat (e.g., beef, lamb, pork, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, ribs)
  • Skin of poultry
  • Dairy (e.g., cheese, milk, sour cream, butter)
  • Desserts (e.g., ice cream, baked goods)
  • Coconut
  • Oils (e.g., coconut, palm, palm kernel)

Trans fat comes from processed foods with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil. The oil in these products was changed from a liquid to a solid, which can make food last longer. Small amounts of trans fat also naturally occur in some animal products, like meat and dairy. These fats are bad for your health, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Experts recommend avoiding trans fats as much as possible.

  • Margarines and shortening
  • Chips and crackers
  • Fast foods (e.g., french fries)
  • Baked Goods (e.g., pastries, muffins, cookies, cakes)

Recommended Fat Intake

Fats are an important piece of a balanced eating plan. Fats affect everyone differently, so there is no set amount you should eat each day. Instead, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 20-35% of your daily calories come from fats. They also suggest less than 10% of your total calories come from saturated fats. Aim to eat more unsaturated fats than saturated fats to protect your heart and sustain a healthy weight. For help creating a balanced eating plan, check out MyPlate.gov.

It is recommended you consume
300 to 525
per day to hit a goal of 20-35% of your calories from fats of your total daily calorie intake of 1500 calories.

Making Healthy Choices

Fat is necessary for good health. Always check the nutrition label for fat content on packaged foods. Prioritize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry, seafood and nuts, while limiting processed foods, red meat and sugary beverages. Check out these tips to manage your fat intake:

Choose unsaturated fats: Most of the fat you consume should be monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can be found in seafood, nuts and seeds. These fats can reduce inflammation and are good for your heart health. Healthy eating plans recommend switching out foods with saturated fat for those with unsaturated fat.

Prep your food the healthy way: Nontropical vegetable oils have less saturated fat than tropical oils and solid fats like butter, which makes them a healthier option for cooking and preparing food. These types of oils include olive, canola, safflower, sunflower, peanut, corn, soybean and vegetable. If you need to use butter, consider a soft margarine instead.

Switch out your flavors: Consider ordering menu options that are baked or steamed instead of fried. On toast, try swapping butter or cream cheese for nut butter or avocado. You can also add hot sauce or salsa to any dish for more flavor without the extra fat or calories.

Pick lean proteins and low-fat dairy products: Choose proteins that contain less saturated fat, like skinless poultry, seafood and lean cuts of meat. Beans, peas, lentils and soy-based foods are also great options. For dairy products, choose foods with labels that say reduced fat, low-fat or fat-free.

Limit saturated and trans fats: Saturated and trans fats increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Try to restrict fried foods and baked goods with high amounts of these unhealthy fats. When choosing processed foods, check that hydrogenated oils are not listed in the ingredients. Instead, opt for options with non-hydrogenated oil.

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