The fat in our food has been feared for a long time. You may remember the 90s. Snack shelf is lined with fat-free, low-fat cookies, cakes and more. Today we know that both saturated and unsaturated dietary fats have a balanced dietary location.
To clear up any confusion, we dive into all the fats of this piece. This article explains which types you have, and even the types you need (and how many).
What is fat?
Fat is one of the macronutrients your body needs to function at its prime (1). Fat provides energy to the body and promotes cell growth, but also protects organs, helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and stabilizes blood pressure and cholesterol (1,2).
When you eat dietary fats, they break down into fatty acids. There are two main types of fatty acids in diet (2):
- Saturated fatty acids
- Unsaturated fatty acids
The type of food you are eating, and the type of fat in that food, determines whether those fatty acids work with you, you, or you. And to the surprise of many, most foods actually contain some of each, but the amount depends on the food you are eating. Let’s take a closer look at each of these.
What are saturated fatty acids?
Saturated fatty acids are often referred to as “bad fats” (2). Increased fat intake is associated with negative health effects, including increased blood cholesterol and increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks and stroke (3).
And unfortunately, despite these effects, most Americans still eat more than they should (4). According to nutritionist Brookell White, MS, RD, “Saturated fatty acids are nutrients that can be consumed in excess and over-consumed in the US and grow cholesterol,” according to MyFitnessspal.
Why saturated fats are a concern
Health officials actually put recommendations on how much saturated fat should be consumed per day to reduce the risk of these conditions (this will soon be reached). of their chemical structure.
For example, saturated fats have a single bond between carbon molecules that are completely saturated with hydrogen (3). This structure makes it a solid at room temperature (3). Consuming foods with high saturated fats can increase blood fats, such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL), (also known as blood lipids, an important measure of heart health) (5). Over time, excessive intake of saturated fats can continue to increase blood lipids, which can hurt your heart health.
Knowledge is power, so don’t worry, we are here to help you.
This is part of the top sauce of saturated fats for monitoring during meals (6):
- Animal products such as lean meat and hardened meat
- Dairy products such as butter, whole milk, cheese
- Oils such as coconut and palm kernel oil
- Combined foods such as pepperoni pizza, creamy pasta dishes, sandwiches and more
- Sweet snacks with pastries and cookie-like desserts
About the experts
Brukel WhiteMS and RD are food data curators for MyFitnessPal. She received her Masters degree with Singles from San Diego State University and completed a nutrition internship at Sodexo. Her focus areas include metabolism, gut health, obesity and weight management.
Elizabeth ShawMS, RDN, and CPT are nutrition experts, authors of four cookbooks and pioneering early nutrition in the field of Fertility Nutrition. She is the president and owner of Shaw Simple Swaps, a US-based nutrition communications and consulting company.
What are unsaturated fatty acids?
Unsaturated fatty acids known as “good fats” praise their beneficial effects on health. In fact, consumption of certain unsaturated fatty acids has been shown to improve heart health and memory, and reduce the risk of developing other conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, etc.7).
Unsaturated fatty acids are made up of two groups.
- January Saturated Fat (MUFA)
- These fatty acids contain a single unsaturated carbon double bond, which makes them liquid at room temperature.8).
- The most common type of mufa in the diet is omega-9 fatty acids (9). However, these are not required. In other words, your body can be made on its own!
- Common dietary sources of MUFA are:8):
- Plant-based oils: olives, peanuts, canola, sesame
- Food sources: avocado, nut butter, nuts and seeds
- Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA)
- Omega-3s:
- Food: Fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, soybeans
- Oil: Canola, Soybeans, Flaxseed
- Omega 6S:
- Food: Almonds, peanuts, walnuts, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, eggs
- Oil: Saflower oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil
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The difference between saturated and unsaturated fats
As a nutritionist, I really hate labeling foods as good or bad because all foods can have a balanced dietary place when moderation is practiced. That said, while unsaturated fats will have the glory of becoming “golden child” when it comes to full health, there is a reason why saturated fats continue to be slapped in the “bad” sense.
For example, Myfitnesspal nutritionist Burkel White shares:8,10,11).
The American Heart Association (AHA) provides these blood lipid markers (10). And White agrees by writing, “Replacing saturated fatty acids with these helps reduce the risk of cholesterol and heart disease.”
Dietary recommendations
Here are the latest total and saturated fat recommendations for Americans:
- Acceptable macronutrient distribution range (AMDR) (12))
The AMDR of dietary fat is set to 20-35% of daily calories.
For someone on a 2000-calorie diet, that means about 400-700 calories come from fat, or about 44-77 grams of fat.
- 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) (13))
DGA recommends that you have less than 10% of your daily calories from a saturated fat source.
For people on a 2,000-calorie diet, this means that it comes from about 200 calories to saturated fat, or from about 22 grams in total per day.
- American Heart Association (AHA)
Total fat intake is approximately 30-35% of calories and requires less than 6% of calories from saturated fat (14).
For those following a 2000-calorie diet, this is a total of about 120 calories, or 13 grams of saturated fat per day (13 grams per day)3).
I would recommend that dietitians, including myself, consider the history and genetics of your family. It is advisable to understand whether it is best to make your saturated fat intake more strict at 6% of your daily calories, or if you have the flexibility to close to 10% of that. For example, if you have a history of high cholesterol, heart disease, or other complications that occur in your family, your personalized recommendations will differ from those without a genetic history of heart disease.
Working with a registered dietitian nutritionist is one of the best ways to determine what your needs are to achieve your personal health goals.
Tips for choosing healthier fat options
“If you’re suspicious, separate it.”
This is a motto that I use with my clients to promote moderation rather than deprivation, even when it comes to healthier fat options. Nuts, for example, are a great source of unsaturated fats. They are heart-healthy foods, but they are also calorie-rich and dense. This means that if you’re not paying attention to your portion size, you can easily go overboard to your daily energy needs.
Accepting food at home.
Choosing home cooking, such as roasting, baking, air frying, or even frying in unsaturated oils like canola or olive oil, can be a way to help you achieve your weight loss goals while maintaining fat intake. It’s good check. Finishing your dish with unsaturated fat sources such as extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil is a great way to enjoy the benefits these fats offer.
With the help of simple swaps in the kitchen.
By experimenting with the following swap in the recipe, you will eat less unsaturated fats and more unsaturated fats.
- Replace beef with fatty fish
- Change milk with soy milk
- Casserole with top bowl of nuts and seeds on top of cheese
- Use avocados in sour cream
- Use olives, avocado or canola oil instead of butter
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why is it important to know the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats?
A diet high in saturated fat is associated with negative health effects such as cardiovascular disease, high blood lipids, and increased risk of heart attacks and stroke (3). On the other hand, a diet rich in unsaturated fats can help promote heart health (7). Knowing the difference between the two is important to balance a food-focused diet with the best fat source.
How do you remember saturated and unsaturated fats?
Understanding which fats are solid at room temperature is the best way to distinguish between two types of fats. Fats that are solid at room temperature become hard like fats that look like cuts of butter or lean meat. It is a simple border to remember saturation = solids, as both saturation and solids begin with “s”.3).
How much fat do you need to consume every day?
On average, 20-35% of your daily calories should come from dietary fats (12). For someone on a 2000-calorie diet, that means about 400-700 calories come from fat, or about 44-77 grams of fat.
What foods are rich in healthy fats?
Foods with the highest unsaturated fats include avocados, fatty fish, nuts, olives, seeds, and vegetable oils.15):
Conclusion
As dietary fat plays an important role in the body, it is recommended that 20-35% of your daily calories come from this food group (12). However, the type of fat you eat is important, and unsaturated fats show positive health benefits (there are opposite effects) such as improving heart health and reverse fat (3,7). Log in your food myfitnessspal It will help you understand how much and what fat you are eating.
Limiting desserts, snack foods, overall dairy products and red meat in your diet can help reduce your dietary intake of saturated fats. Increased avocado, nuts and seeds in your diet helps increase your intake of unsaturated fats, providing their health benefits. To make it easier to choose better fats, consider trying one of them myfitnessspalPlans to prioritize recipes and foods that are less saturated fat, such as the Eat Green Plan.
FATS Submission Guide: Types, benefits, and amount required were first shown on the MyFitnessPal blog.
