Fat Intake: Dietary Guidelines

Fat Intake: What You Should Know

Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat

Fats supply energy and essential fatty acids, and they help absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, and carotenoids. You need some fat in the food you eat, but choose sensibly. Some kinds of fat, especially saturated fats, increase the risk for coronary heart disease by raising the blood cholesterol (see box 15). In contrast, unsaturated fats (found mainly in vegetable oils) do not increase blood cholesterol. Fat intake in the United States as a proportion of total calories is lower than it was many years ago, but most people still eat too much saturated fat. Eating lots of fat of any type can provide excess calories.

Choose foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol

See box 16 for tips on limiting the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol you get from your food. Taking these steps can go a long way in helping to keep your blood cholesterol level low.

Box 15

KNOW THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FATS

Saturated Fats

Foods high in saturated fats tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include high-fat dairy products (like cheese, whole milk, cream, butter, and regular ice cream), fatty fresh and processed meats, the skin and fat of poultry, lard, palm oil, and coconut oil. Keep your intake of these foods low.

Dietary Cholesterol

Foods that are high in cholesterol also tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, and dairy fats.

Trans Fatty Acids

Foods high in trans fatty acids tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include those high in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as many hard margarines and shortenings. Foods with a high amount of these ingredients include some commercially fried foods and some bakery goods.

Unsaturated Fats

Unsaturated fats (oils) do not raise blood cholesterol. Unsaturated fats occur in vegetable oils, most nuts, olives, avocados, and fatty fish like salmon. Unsaturated oils include both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Olive, canola, sunflower, and peanut oils are some of the oils high in monounsaturated fats. Vegetable oils such as soybean oil, corn oil, and cottonseed oil and many kinds of nuts are good sources of polyunsaturated fats. Some fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel, contain omega-3 fatty acids that are being studied to determine if they offer protection against heart disease. Use moderate amounts of food high in unsaturated fats, taking care to avoid excess calories.

Box 16

FOOD CHOICES LOW IN SATURATED FAT AND CHOLESTEROL AND MODERATE IN TOTAL FAT

Get most of your calories from plant foods (grains, fruits, vegetables). If you eat foods high in saturated fat for a special occasion, return to foods that are low in saturated fat the next day.

Fats and Oils

Choose vegetable oils rather than solid fats (meat and dairy fats, shortening).
If you need fewer calories, decrease the amount of fat you use in cooking and at the table.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Shellfish, Eggs, Beans, and Nuts

Choose 2 to 3 servings of fish, shellfish, lean poultry, other lean meats, beans, or nuts daily. Trim fat from meat and take skin off poultry. Choose dry beans, peas, or lentils often.
Limit your intake of high-fat processed meats such as bacon, sausages, salami, bologna, and other cold cuts. Try the lower fat varieties (check the Nutrition Facts Label).
Limit your intake of liver and other organ meats. Use egg yolks and whole eggs in moderation. Use egg whites and egg substitutes freely when cooking since they contain no cholesterol and little or no fat.

Dairy Products

Choose fat-free or low-fat milk, fat-free or low-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese most often. Try switching from whole to fat-free or low-fat milk. This decreases the saturated fat and calories but keeps all other nutrients the same.

Prepared Foods

Check the Nutrition Facts Label to see how much saturated fat and cholesterol are in a serving of prepared food. Choose foods lower in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Foods at Restaurants or Other Eating Establishments

Choose fish or lean meats as suggested above. Limit ground meat and fatty processed meats, marbled steaks, and cheese.
Limit your intake of foods with creamy sauces, and add little or no butter to your food.
Choose fruits as desserts most often.

Following the tips in the box above will help you keep your intake of saturated fat at less than 10 percent of calories. They will also help you keep your cholesterol intake less than the Daily Value of 300 mg/day listed on the Nutrition Facts Label. If you want more flexibility, see box 17, below, to find out your saturated fat limit in grams. The maximum number of saturated fat grams depends on the amount of calories you get daily. Use Nutrition Facts Labels to find out how much saturated fat is in prepared foods. If you choose one food that is higher in saturated fat, make your other choices lower in saturated fat. This will help you stay under your saturated fat limit for the day.

Box 17

WHAT IS YOUR UPPER LIMIT ON FAT FOR THE CALORIES YOU CONSUME?

Total Calories per Day

Saturated Fat in Grams

Total Fat in Grams

1,600

18 or less

2,000

20 or less

2,200

24 or less

2,500

25 or less

2,800

31 or less

Percent Daily Values on Nutrition Facts Labels are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values for 2,000 and 2,500 calories are rounded to the nearest 5 grams to be consistent with the Nutrition Facts Label.

Different forms of the same food may be very different in their content of saturated fat. Box 18 provides some examples. Try to choose the forms of food that are lower in saturated fat most often.

Keep total fat intake moderate

Aim for a total fat intake of no more than 30 percent of calories, as recommended in previous editions of the Guidelines. If you need to reduce your fat intake to achieve this level, do so primarily by cutting back on saturated and trans fats. Check box 17 to find out how many grams of fat you can have for the number of calories you need. For example, at 2,200 calories per day, your suggested upper limit on fat intake would be about 73 grams. If you are at a healthy weight and you eat little saturated fat, you’ll have leeway to eat some plant foods that are high in unsaturated fats. To see if you need to lose weight, see the section on weight management.

Advice for children

Advice in the previous sections applies to children who are 2 years of age or older. It does not apply to infants and toddlers below the age of 2 years. Beginning at age 2, children should get most of their calories from grain products; fruits; vegetables; low-fat dairy products; and beans, lean meat and poultry, fish, or nuts. Be careful, nuts may cause choking in 2 to 3 year olds.

ADVICE FOR TODAY

To reduce your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol:

	Limit use of solid fats, such as butter, hard margarines, lard, and partially hydrogenated shortenings. Use vegetable oils as a substitute.
	Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products, cooked dry beans and peas, fish, and lean meats and poultry.
	Eat plenty of grain products, vegetables, and fruits daily.
	Use the Nutrition Facts Label to help choose foods lower in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.

Box 18
A COMPARISON OF SATURATED FAT IN SOME FOODS
Food Category	Portion	Saturated Fat Content in Grams

*Cheese*
Regular Cheddar cheese Low-fat Cheddar cheese	1 oz 1 oz.	6.0 1.2
*Ground Beef*
Regular ground beef Extra lean ground beef*	3 oz. cooked 3 oz. cooked	7.2 5.3
*Milk*
Whole milk Low-fat (1%) milk*	1 cup 1 cup	5.1 1.6
*Breads*
Croissant Bagel*	1 medium 1 medium	6.6 0.1
*Frozen Desserts*
Regular ice cream Frozen yogurt*	1/2 cup 1/2 cup	4.5 2.5
*Table Spreads*
Butter Soft margarine*	1 tsp. 1 tsp.	2.4 0.7

NOTE: The food categories listed are among the major food sources of saturated fat for U.S. adults and children. * Choice that is lower in saturated fat.