What Percentage of My Diet Should Be Fat?

Fatty foods are sometimes mistakenly viewed as bad foods. However, fat is a necessary part of a healthy diet. The nervous system uses fat to make the lining of the cells that carry messages throughout the body. The hair and skin need fat as a natural coating for protection. The fat around our organs is used as a protective padding. The key to making sure the fat in our diets is good for us and not harmful is to eat it in the right amounts and from the right foods.

How Many Calories Should Come From Fat?

No more than 30 percent of calories in a healthy diet should come from fat.

How Much Saturated Fat to Eat

Of all the fat calories consumed, no more than 10 percent should be saturated fat. Saturated fats come almost exclusively from animal products. These fats are liquid at room temperature.

Unsaturated Fats

The remaining 90 percent of fat calories should come from unsaturated fats, which come from plant-based foods.

Exception to the Fat Rule

Fat from animals should be limited except for fish. Salmon, mackerel and tuna have omega-3 fatty acids that are healthy.

How to Calculate Fat Calories in a Food

Here's an easy way to scan a food label and tell if its percentage of fat calories is too high: take the calories from fat and multiply by 3. If that number is greater than the total calories, it's more than 30 percent fat.

Resources

• National Institutes of Health: About Fat