Each fat has different characteristics and different effects on your health, however fat is ESSENTIAL to the structure of EVERY cell in your body!
Benefits of fat: they help protect your organs, help keep your body warm, help your body absorb some nutrients (like vitamins A, D, E, and K!) and produce important hormones too!
All fats need to be included in your diet however there are “better” fats to include to stay healthier longer and prevent diseases. The “better” fats include monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fats.
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Saturated Fats |
Trans Fats |
Monounsaturated Fats |
Polyunsaturated Fats |
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Commonly found in these foods |
(Mainly from animals) beef, lamb, pork, poultry with the skin, beef fat, lard, cream, butter, cheese, other whole or reduced fat dairy products |
Baked goods – pastries, biscuits, muffins, cakes, pie crusts, doughnuts and cookies
Fried foods – French fries, fried chicken, breaded chicken nuggets and breaded fish
Snack foods – popcorn, crackers
Traditional stick margarine and vegetable shortening
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Vegetable oils – olive, canola and peanut
Avocados
Many nuts and seeds – almonds and peanuts/peanut butter |
High in omega-6 vegetable oils – soybean, corn and safflower
Many nuts and seeds – walnuts and sunflower seeds
High in omega-3 (EPA and DHA) fatty fish – salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring and trout |
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Effect on heart health |
Increase risk of heart disease
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Increase risk of heart disease |
May lower risk of heart disease |
May lower risk of heart disease |
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Characteristics
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Carbon atoms saturated with hydrogen atoms
Saturated Fats
Solid at room temperature
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Created in an industrial process by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils.
Trans Fats
Solid at room temperature
Contained in “partially hydrogenated oils”
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Have one double-bonded (unsaturated) carbon
Monounsaturated Fats
Liquid at room temperature, but turn solid when chilled |
More than one double-bonded (unsaturated) carbon
Polyunsaturated Fats
Liquid at room temperature and when chilled |
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Daily Limit |
Less than 7% of total daily calories
If you eat 2,000 calories a day, less than 140 calories (15g) can be from saturated fats |
Less than 1% of total daily calories
If you eat 2,000 calories a day, less than 20 calories (2g) can be from trans fats |
Total fats should be about 25% to 35% of total daily calories
Eat foods with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats instead of saturated or trans fat |
Total fats should be about 25% to 35% of total daily calories
Eat foods with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats instead of saturated or trans fats.
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Need help with choosing heart healthy foods when eating out???
Here’s a helpful guideline!
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If you want… |
Try… |
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Cream based soups |
Broth based soups with LOTS of vegetables |
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Quiche and salad |
Soup and salad |
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Buffalo chicken wings |
Peel and eat shrimp |
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Bread, muffins, croissants |
Melba toast, pita bread, whole-grain rolls |
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Fried chicken |
Grilled chicken and a side salad |
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Cheeseburgers |
Grilled chicken sandwiches, sliced meat sandwiches or even a regular hamburger with lettuce, tomato, and onion |
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French fries |
Baked potato, brown rice, steamed vegetables |
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Hot fudge sundae or ice cream |
Nonfat yogurt, sherbet or fruit ice |
