Fats
What are the different types of fat?
Which foods count?
What are the key nutrients?
- Total fat: includes saturated, unsaturated, and trans fat. 20-35% of daily calories should come from fat.
- Saturated fat: found in many animal products; solid at room temperature. Limit to 10% of total calories.
- Trans fat: also found in some animal products, but is often found in highly processed foods. Try to avoid foods with trans fat or partially hydrogenated oils on the label.
- Unsaturated fat: found in plant and animal products; liquid at room temperature; often referred to as "healthy fats." Most of your fat intake should be in the form of unsaturated fat.
Which foods count?
- Fish and seafood
- Nuts and nut butters
- Olive oil
- Avocados
What are the key nutrients?
- Essential fatty acids: include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids' needed for cognitive function, hormonal function, and for normal growth and development. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, while omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation. A balance of these two fatty acids is needed in the diet.
Images in header used under Creative Commons license, from left to right:
Nuts: https://flic.kr/p/9Wd9ni
Oils: https://flic.kr/p/ueqFd
Fish: https://flic.kr/p/zco2W
Avocado: https://flic.kr/p/2wZBuV
Olives: https://flic.kr/p/9yNv7v
Portion size photo: http://www.health24.com/Diet-and-nutrition/Multimedia/Portion-sizes-getting-it-right-20130218
Nuts: https://flic.kr/p/9Wd9ni
Oils: https://flic.kr/p/ueqFd
Fish: https://flic.kr/p/zco2W
Avocado: https://flic.kr/p/2wZBuV
Olives: https://flic.kr/p/9yNv7v
Portion size photo: http://www.health24.com/Diet-and-nutrition/Multimedia/Portion-sizes-getting-it-right-20130218