How much fat you should eat in a day?
Are you tired of hearing conflicting advice about how much fat to include in your diet? One day it’s “fat-free everything is the way to go!” and the next it’s all about embracing fats like they’re old friends. Well, fear not! In this article, we’ll clear up some of the confusion around how much fat you should be eating (because let’s face it, nobody wants to eat too little or too much).
Understanding Fats
Before we dive into numbers, let’s take a moment to discuss what exactly fats are and why our bodies need them.
Fats, also known as lipids, are one of three main macronutrients that provide energy for our body. They also help us absorb vitamins A,D,E and K. There are different types of fatty acids such as monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) ,omega-3 fatty acids etc,. As with anything else in life though, balance is key – consuming too many bad-for-you saturated or trans-fats can lead to weight gain and a higher risk for chronic diseases including heart disease.
So now that we know what we’re dealing with here let’s find out how much fat consumption humans need on average every day!
Recommended Amounts
The amount of fat an individual needs depends on various factors; age, gender height & weight being few important ones.”According to U.S dietary guidelines an adult should get 20% -35% from their total calorie requirement” which translates roughly between 44g-77g/day depending upon daily calories intake.
It might seem like there isn’t much room within these limits but trust us: there definitely is!
Keep reading for some tasty examples
Popcorn
Did you know popcorn contains healthy unsaturated fats that can help lower cholesterol levels?
One serving of air-popped popcorn (3 cups) has around 1 g of fat, so sprinkle on a little olive oil and make this healthy snack even tastier!
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts contain many nutrients and are rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Walnuts, almonds, pistachios or peanuts are all great choices. In addition to vitamins, minerals and fiber they provide a small but adequate amount of essential fats for the body.
An ounce (about two handfuls worth) contains anywhere between ~13g-19g which is roughly 8% -15%-20 % of your daily need.
- Best Options: Almonds,Peanut Butter or Sunflower seeds.
Fish
Fish such as salmon,tuna or mackerel is one amazing way to incorporate omega-3-fatty-acids into our diets . An average serving can have anywhere from 4g -12g depending upon type/size/method cooked which easily outscores recommended intake in just one meal . So don’t be afraid next time whenever you come across fish menu , rather embrace it!
Types Of Fats
While we’ve already touched a bit on what makes up “good” vs “bad” fats let’s break them down with some examples so you better understand !
Good Sources
Monounsaturated Fats
Let’s start with MUFAs , because there’re considered healthiest by experts! Eating foods that are high in monounsaturated fatty acids like avocados,nuts/oils etc., may improve blood cholesterol levels also reducing risk for heart diseases..
This means instead binging junk food (doing happy dance) switch over to eating Hass avocado toast AKA trendy millennial breakfast staple !
Polyunsaturated Fats
Other group of healthy fats are polyunsaturated which have been linked primarily with the benefits for health as it is essential fat. Eating foods containing PUFAs help in brain function,reduce inflammation,improve skin quality,aids to body building etc.,
Great sources include vegetables oils,salmon,fish oil supplements,walnuts or flax.
Bad Fats
Now on to not so good ones . included types are
Saturated Fat
Saturated fats that occur naturally may be helpful in small amounts however if they’re taken high levels can lead arteriosclerosis ,increasing LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Foods includes red meat like beef,pork,mutton and dairy items;cheese buttermilk.
Trans-Fat
Here comes trans-fats! These artificial fatty acids found in many packaged/processed snacks such as chips,baked goods,doughnuts et cetera – pack a real punch when it comes to increasing our cholesterol levels,
Fun Fact : you should always try avoiding trans fat consuming food products.
Balancing It Out
Incorporating a variety of healthy unsaturated fats into your meals while limiting intake of bad ones makes sense solution. But how do you make sure you strike the right balance?
Take some inspiration from these infographic!
You might also set an eye on tracking down nutrition information with shortcut apps/tools since monitoring intakes is crucial ! Check out HappyForks which does wonders at tracking nutrient consumption by skimming through only ingredients .
Conclusion
Our overall message? Keep calm and find your balance point (no need overdose yourself with keto diet) when it comes to healthy fats intake because focus should remain inclusion of all basic dietary requirements including carbohydrates & proteins – till then feel free indulge guilt-free serving of guacamole!
We hope this article has given you a little bit of insight into how much fat is good for your body. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, boost brain power or simply try some new healthy recipes – remember that moderation,as always,is key with fats too!