Pomperaug District Department of Health
Fats and Oils Fact Sheet |
|
Fats are concentrated
forms of energy that help the body maintain body temperature and protect
body tissues and organs. Some dietary fat is necessary to supply essential
fatty acids and promote the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D,
E, and K.
Fats are made up
of fatty acids - saturated fatty, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and monounsaturated
fatty acids.
Saturated
Fats
Saturated fat raises blood cholesterol levels more than the other types
of fat. They are solid at room temperature. The main source of saturated
fat is in animal products such as meat and dairy products (butter, lard,
bacon, fat on meats, etc.). Vegetable oils supply smaller amounts of
saturated fats, except for tropical oils (coconut and palm oils) which
are high in saturated fat. Many bakery products also have saturated
fat. Butter is high in saturated fat while margarine tends to have more
unsaturated fat.
Polyunsaturated
Fats
Polyunsaturated fat tends to lower cholesterol levels. It may also lower
HDL levels (good cholesterol). It is found mostly in plant sources.
Some oils that are high in polyunsaturated fat are sunflower oil, safflower
oil, soybean oil, corn oil and cottonseed oil.
Monounsaturated
Fats
Monounsaturated fat can help reduce cholesterol levels when they replace
saturated fat in the diet. Good sources of monounsaturated fat are olive
oil, canola oil, and peanut oil. Monounsaturated fat may help to increase
HDL levels.
No
More Than 30% of Calories From Fat In Your Daily Diet
Too much fat in the diet is not healthy. High fat diets are linked to
increased blood cholesterol levels and a greater risk for heart disease.
Fat should account
for 30% or less of the calories you consume daily, with saturated fats
accounting for no more than 10% of the total fat intake. Use the chart
below as an easy reference.
|
Total
Daily Calories
|
Total
Fat - grams
(30% of total calories)
|
Saturated
Fats - grams
(10% of total fat calories)
|
|
1600
calories
|
3
grams = 480 calories
(53 grams x 9 calories = 480 calories)
|
55.3
grams = 48 calories
|
|
1800
calories
|
60
grams = 540 calories
|
6
grams = 54 calories
|
|
2000
calories
|
66
grams = 600 calories
|
6.6
grams = 60 calories
|
|
2200
calories
|
73
grams = 660 calories
|
7.3
grams = 66 calories
|
All three types
of fat have the same amount of calories. 1 gram of fat has 9 calories.
Fat
Chart
|
Vegetable
Oils
And Shortening
|
Polyunsaturated
Fatty Acids¨
|
Monounsaturated
Fat Acids¨
|
Total
Unsaturated
Fatty Acids¨§
|
Saturated
Fatty Acids¨
|
|
Safflower
oil
|
75%
|
12%
|
86%
|
9%
|
|
Sunflower
oil
|
66%
|
20%
|
86%
|
10%
|
|
Corn
oil
|
59%
|
24%
|
83%
|
13%
|
|
Soybean
oil
|
58%
|
23%
|
81%
|
14%
|
|
Cottonseed
oil
|
52%
|
18%
|
70%
|
26%
|
|
Canola
oil
|
33%
|
55%
|
88%
|
7%
|
|
Olive
oil
|
8%
|
74%
|
82%
|
13%
|
|
Peanut
oil
|
32%
|
46%
|
78%
|
17%
|
|
Soft
tub margarine©
|
31%
|
47%
|
78%
|
17%
|
|
Stick
margarine©
|
18%
|
59%
|
77%
|
19%
|
|
Vegetable
shortening
|
14%
|
51%
|
65%
|
31%
|
|
Palm
oil
|
9%
|
37%
|
47%
|
49%
|
|
Coconut
oil
|
2%
|
6%
|
8%
|
86%
|
|
Palm
kernel oil
|
2%
|
11%
|
13%
|
81%
|
|
Animal
Fats
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tuna
fatª
|
37%
|
26%
|
63%
|
27%
|
|
Chicken
fat
|
21%
|
45%
|
66%
|
30%
|
|
Lard
|
11%
|
45%
|
56%
|
40%
|
|
Mutton
fat
|
8%
|
41%
|
49%
|
47%
|
|
Beef
fat
|
4%
|
42%
|
46%
|
50%
|
|
Butter
fat
|
4%
|
29%
|
33%
|
62%
|
¨Values
are given as a percent of total fat
§Total
Unsaturated Fatty Acids = polyunsaturated fatty acids + monounsaturated
fatty acids.
The sum
will not add up to 100% because each item has a small amount of other
fatty substance (trans-fatty acids) that are neither saturated or unsaturated.
©Made
with hydrogenated soybean oil & hydrogenated cottonseed oil
ªWhite tuna, canned in water
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here for printable version
