This publication was developed in cooperation with the United States Food and Drug Adminstration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. PDF Version

Did you know that fats are an important part of a healthful diet?
Maybe this surprises you because we often hear advice to cut down on the amount of fat we eat. But when it comes to fats and good health, the keys are to eat enough—but not too much—and to choose the right types of fats. The information and tips here can help you do just that.

Fascinating Facts about Fats

• We need fats in our diet. They provide energy and essential fatty acids, help keep our skin healthy, play a role in many body functions and transport vitamins A, D, E, K and carotenoids so they can be absorbed. They also play a key role in early brain development.
• Some types of fats are linked to good health. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats help reduce blood cholesterol levels when they replace saturated fats and trans fats in the diet.
• Although we often refer to foods as containing a single type of fat, they really contain a mix of different fats. For example, we call canola oil a “monounsaturated fat” because that’s the main component, but canola oil also contains smaller amounts of polyunsaturated and saturated fats.
• Fats give foods a pleasing taste, aroma and texture.

When You Shop for and Prepare Food…

• Choose lean cuts of meat, skinless poultry, fish*, dry beans and low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese and yogurt.
• For cooking and baking, use olive, canola, corn, safflower, sunflower or soybean oils to help promote heart health.
• Bake, broil, roast and grill foods instead of frying.
• If chosen, select fried foods such as fried chicken, French fries and snack chips made with oils that mostly contain polyunsaturated and/or monounsaturated fats.
• Balance out your food choices. If you eat a larger lunch, go for a lighter dinner of soup and salad.

When You Dine Out…

• At fast food restaurants, pick salads and grilled chicken and smaller size burgers and sandwiches. Request sandwiches without mayonnaise or sauce.
• Most restaurants gladly honor special requests. Ask for gravy, sauces and salad dressings on the side so you can use just a little. If your food is prepared with fat, ask for foods to be prepared with oils that mostly contain polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats.
• Substitute a sweet potato, green salad or fruit salad for French fries or chips, or ask for smaller portions of these foods.
• Order items prepared with little or no fat. Look for these descriptions on the menu: steamed, broiled, baked, roasted, poached, cooked in wine or lemon juice, au jus (in its own juice), lightly sautéed or lightly stir-fried.
• Go easy on items that are prepared with more fat. Be alert for these descriptions on the menu: fried, crispy, creamed, in cream, cheese or butter sauce, au gratin, escalloped, parmesan, hollandaise, béarnaise, pot pie or pastry crust.

Label Reading Tips

At the grocery store, use the Nutrition Facts label to compare the amounts of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol in various products. Use this information to make the best choices for your eating plan. Some food labels describe products as “fat free,” “low saturated fat,” “no fat” or “light.” These are shortcuts to help you identify products low or lower in fat. Fat-free doesn’t mean calorie-free. Some low-fat or fat-free foods contain just as many calories as the full-fat versions of the same foods. Carefully check the serving size and number of calories per serving. Look at the serving size, determine how many servings you plan to eat and adjust the nutrient amounts on the Nutrition Facts label accordingly. For example, if you eat two servings of a food, double the numbers for nutrients shown. Use the %DV column to identify whether a serving of a food is high or low in nutrients such as Total Fat, Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. 5% DV or less is low and 20% DV or more is high. Trans fat does not have a %DV, but intake should be as low as possible.

Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Here’s where they are found:

• Polyunsaturated fats: soybean, corn, and some safflower and sunflower oils, walnuts, flaxseed and fish, such as salmon, trout and herring.
• Monounsaturated fats: canola, olive, mid- or high-oleic safflower and sunflower oils, and in avocados and nuts and peanut butter.

Keep tabs on saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol.

Eating too much of these fats may increase the risk for heart disease by raising “bad” (LDL) cholesterol in the blood, so watch how much you eat. In fact, choose products low in these fats while consuming a nutritionally balanced diet. Here’s where they are found:

• Saturated fats and cholesterol: foods from animals such as butter, lard, egg yolks, fatback, tallow, suet, chicken fat, beef fat, whole milk and cheese products. Saturated fats are also found in foods from plants such as vegetable shortening, coconut oil and palm oil.
• Trans fats: foods containing partially hydrogenated oils such as vegetable shortening, baked goods examples: cakes, cookies, pies, crackers, etc.), snack foods, stick margarines and other foods.

For more information, check out the following sources:
Food and Drug Administration (www.cfsan.fda.gov) and IFIC Foundation (http://ific.org).

*A Special Note about Fish: Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, nursing mothers and young children should avoid some types of fish and eat types lower in mercury. For more information, visit www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html or call 1-888-SAFEFOOD.
**Keep total fat intake between 30% – 35%of calories for children 2-3 years of age and between 25% – 35% of calories for children and adolescents 4-18 years of age, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monosaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.