How Much Fat to Eat Every Day?

Fat is a very important part of the diet, but calculating the amount to eat can be quite confusing.

Over the past 50 years, the daily diet has shifted from moderate to low fat levels based on the recommendation of health organizations.

However, Do not specify an upper limit for the total amount of fat each person should consume.

This article will give a detailed look at each type of fat and provide suggestions for daily eating.

What is fat?

With the protein and carb , fat is one of three types of macro nutrients in the diet.

You consume fat in the form of triglyceride triglycerides. A triglyceride molecule contains three fatty acids attached to a glycerol frame. Fatty acids contain carbon and hydrogen chains.

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There is a way to classify fat as equal to the length of the carbon chain:

Short-chain fatty acids: has less than 6 carbon.
Medium chain fatty acids: 6-12 carbon
Long chain fatty acids: 13-21 carbon
Very long chain fatty acids: Contains 22 carbon or more.

Most of the fat you eat is long chain fatty acids. Short-chain fatty acids Mostly produced when bacteria ferment intestinal soluble fiber, although milk fat also contains a small amount.

Long-chain and very long-chain fat is absorbed into the bloodstream and taken to the body's cells when needed. However, short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids are absorbed directly by the liver and are used as energy.

Crux : Fat is one of three macro nutrients. They are absorbed from food and are absorbed by the body as energy and other functions.

Function and benefits of fat

Fat performs many functions and has many health benefits:

Energy: Fat is an abundant source of energy. It provides 9 calories per gram, while each protein and carb offer only 4 calories per gram.
Regulating hormones and genes : Fat regulates production of reproductive and steroid hormones, as well as growth and metabolism-related genes .
Brain function : Absorb a sufficient amount of fat that is important for the brain, including mood. .
Absorb fat-soluble vitamins: Vitamins A, D, E and K must be used together with fat to be best absorbed.
Increases flavor and feeling full : Adding fat to foods makes them more delicious and saturated.

Fat stored in the body helps protect organs, keeps the body warm and provides an abundant source of energy for you when you are hungry.

Crux: Fat provides many benefits to the body, including energy supply, maintenance of hormones and genes, maintaining brain function, making food better and feeling fuller.

Different types of fats

Fatty acids are grouped according to the number of double bonds between carbon in their structure.

Monounsaturated fat

Olive oil rich in monounsaturated fat

Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) have a double bond in the carbon chain.

Food sources containing MUFA are usually in liquid form at room temperature and are quite stable when cooking.

The most common MUFA is oleic acid, which is more in olive oil .

Monounsaturated fats have been linked to several health benefits, including reducing the risk of serious diseases such as heart disease and diabetes .

One conclusion of 24 clinical studies showed that a single monounsaturated diet significantly reduced blood sugar, triglycerides, weight and blood pressure, compared to a high-carb diet. They also increase HDL beneficial cholesterol .

MUFA can also increase satiety, resulting in less calorie absorption.

In one study, many people felt fuller and consumed fewer calories within the next 24 hours of misbehaving when eating bread rich in oleic acid, compared with bread containing less oleic acid .

Polyunsaturated fat

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) contain two or more double bonds.

They can be divided into two groups based on the position of double links, omega-3 and omega-6.

These double bonds make PUFA more flexible and liquid than saturated fat.

On the other hand, they are also easily broken and prone to rancidity.

Research shows that long-chain omega-3 fats are beneficial for fighting inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, depression and some other diseases .

Although you need some omega-6 fats, they can also be irritated when used too much, especially if the intake of omega-3 PUFA is low .

Omega-6 fats are very popular in modern diets. On the other hand, omega-3 fats are often consumed in smaller amounts.

It is important that researchers report that evolution in the human diet provides ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fats between 1: 1 and 1: 4. In contrast, it is estimated that most people today consume fat at the ratio of 15-17: 1 .

Saturated fat

Saturated fatty acids (SFA) have no double bonds in the carbon chain, so carbon is called saturated with hydrogen.

They are more stable at high temperatures and less destroyed during cooking than polyunsaturated fats.

Absorption of SFA may increase LDL cholesterol levels in some people, although this depends in part on the type of fatty acid people consume. Also keep in mind that HDL cholesterol also often increases .

Overall, research indicates that consumption of SFA has a neutral effect on health and does not seem to cause or contribute to heart disease .

In fact, some foods high in saturated fat may be beneficial for metabolism.

For example, research suggests medium chain triglyceride in coconut oil and palm oil can increase metabolic rate and reduce calorie intake .

Trans fat

In a trans fat molecule, hydrogen is opposite to each other rather than side by side.

A small amount of trans fat is found naturally in dairy and other animal-derived foods. However, trans fat used in industrial processed foods is not natural.

These trans fats are produced by adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats to create products that are like saturated fats. Labels for materials often list them as "partially hydrogenated" fats.

Consuming trans fat can lead to many health problems. Artificial trans fat related to inflammation, changes in cholesterol are harmful to health, strong active impairment, insulin resistance and excess abdominal fat .

One study estimates that replacing trans fat with other fats may reduce the risk of heart disease by 40% depending on the type and amount of fat substituted .

Trans fat is often found in margarine and other industrial processing products. Food manufacturers sometimes add them to packaged products such as biscuits to help extend their shelf life.

Crux: Fat is classified by the number of bonds in the carbon chain. In addition to trans fat, most fats have a beneficial or neutral effect on health. However, the difference between the intake of omega-6 and omega-3 absorbed can cause health problems.

So how much fat should I eat every day?

The amount of fat you should eat depends on the amount of calories your body needs for weight loss or maintaining weight. It is also based on the type and diet of each person.

You can use This spreadsheet to see how many calories you need to lose weight or maintain your weight. This is your daily calorie intake target.

Low-fat diet

A standard low-fat diet contains about 30% of calories from fat or less.

Here are some examples of the recommended daily fat intake for a low-fat diet, based on different calorie criteria:

1,500 calories : About 50 grams of fat per day.
2,000 calories : About 67 grams of fat per day.
2,500 calories: About 83 grams of fat per day.

It is important to note that studies show that a high-fat diet, such as low carb and a Mediterranean diet is actually healthier than a low-fat diet.

High carb diets or ketogenic diets

Ketogenic diet Minimize carb intake, provide moderate levels of protein and fat.

The percentage of calories from fat will depend on how low the amount of carb you absorb, but in general it will range from 50-70% of calories.

Here are some examples of the recommended daily intake of low carb diets, based on different calorie criteria:

1,500 calories : About 83-125 grams of fat per day
2,000 calories : About 111 - 167 grams of fat per day
2,500 calories : About 139 - 208 grams of fat per day.

Mediterranean diet with moderate fat

Mediterranean diet contains a large amount of food derived from both animals and plants such as fish, meat, eggs, milk, pure olive oil, fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains.

It usually provides 35-40% of calories from fat, including many monounsaturated fats from olive oil.

Here are some examples of daily fat intake recommended for the Mediterranean diet, based on different calorie criteria:

1,500 calories : About 58-67 grams of fat per day
2,000 calories : About 78-89 grams of fat per day
2,500 calories : About 97-111 grams of fat per day.

Crux : The amount of fat you eat every day should be based on the type of diet you are eating and the calories needed for weight loss or maintaining weight.