Dietary Fats 101
WRITTEN BY: MATT LOCOCO, CPT, NCI-L1
A persistent myth surrounding fat consumption is that it isn’t good for us, and we should avoid eating it as much as possible. However, this isn't always the case. With that established, there are some things to consider when it comes to choosing how much fat to eat, and where to get it from. Some fats can increase our risk of certain health diseases or conditions, while others can reduce the risk of those same diseases and conditions. Eating too much of anything can be detrimental to our overall health. The role fats play in our diet and the body are quite numerous and mostly beneficial. They are indeed an essential nutrient.
Myths About Dietary Fats
Dietary fats often get a bad rap; they’re generally seen as the enemy when it comes to our health and nutrition. There are many misconceptions surrounding fat consumption; unfortunately, much of this information has been accepted as truth.
Let’s take a look at five myths about dietary fat:
Myth #1: Eating Fat Makes You Gain Weight
Contrary to what many believe, consuming fat-rich foods help boost weight loss. As always, quality matters and in proper quantities, dietary fats can increase the feeling of fullness between meals. Eating dietary fat may promote weight loss and limit overeating. The only thing that will make you gain body fat is a surplus of calories. Thinking that eating dietary fat alone will make you fat is misguided.
Eating fat from more natural sources, while getting the proper quantities will only benefit overall health
Myth #2: Fat-Free Foods Are a Smart Choice
While low-fat foods may seem like the right choice, they aren’t always good for our overall health. Yes, they often contain fewer calories; however, they are often loaded with added sugars. These added sugars can negatively impact overall health, leading to the progression of health conditions such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
Instead of trying to cut corners by cutting calories, you should look to enjoy smaller amounts of whole, more nutritious fats
Myth #3: Cholesterol-Rich Foods Are Unhealthy
Eating foods high in cholesterol is often believed to have a negative impact on our health. While this is partially true, it doesn’t tell the whole story. Many cholesterol-rich foods, such as eggs, fatty fish, and full-fat dairy products are loaded with vitamins and minerals that can have a positive impact on many aspects of health.
It’s essential to limit the amount of cholesterol-rich, processed foods in the diet, but most people don’t need to avoid these nutritious, high-cholesterol foods altogether.
Myth #4: Saturated Fat Causes Heart Disease
Of the different varieties of fats, saturated fats may negatively impact overall health the most. However, there is no consistent link between saturated fats and heart disease or any heart-related conditions. In fact, saturated fat intake may decrease the amount of smaller, denser low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), or “bad cholesterol," that have been linked to heart disease. (1)
While saturated fat intake should be limited, it should be included in a healthy, well-rounded diet.
Myth #5: High-Fat Foods Are Unhealthy
Due to the nature of high-fat foods, they often get labeled as “bad foods.” However, they are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to help support healthy body weight while increasing the feeling of fullness between meals. These foods may help to boost weight loss and provide the body with the necessary nutrients to function optimally.
Too much of any food can be detrimental to overall health; however, don’t sell yourself short by eliminating nutritious foods simply because they’re higher in fat.
What Are Fats?
Fats, or triglycerides, are an organic molecule composed of three fatty acid chains and glycerol that are rather complex in structure. There are many different variations of fats, each with their own chemical structure. Like most organic molecules, fat consists of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms. However, unlike most organic molecules, the fatty acid chains have more carbon and hydrogen relative to oxygen, meaning they contain more energy per gram. (2)
Fats provide 9 calories per gram, while carbohydrates and protein only provide 4 calories per gram.
Functions of Fat in the Body
As previously mentioned, fats are an essential nutrient and have many functions in the body. While carbohydrates are believed to be the primary energy source for the body, fats actually provide more than twice as much energy (calories) on a gram-per-gram basis. Remember that fat contains 9 calories per gram, meaning that one pound of stored fat provides roughly 3,500 calories of energy for the body. Stored fat is the largest reserve of energy in the body.
Fats play a crucial role in brain development and health. A little known fact is that fat accounts for about 60% of our brains and affects our learning capabilities, hormones, moods, and memory retention. (3)
In addition to providing energy for the body, fats also aid in the absorption of vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, meaning they dissolve in fat and proper absorption requires the presence of fat. These beneficial vitamins range in function from helping with bone growth to red blood cell production, to helping the body during the blood clotting process.
Fat also provides a structural component in the body. Fats help to insulate and protect vital organs as well as nerves, while also helping to maintain body temperature. In addition, they give our cell membranes the fluidity to control what enters the cell, allowing for a range of different critical biological functions to then take place.
Fat Consumption
In my experience as a coach, “how much fat should I be eating everyday?” is one of the most frequently asked questions.
Fat intake varies from person-to-person and depends on several factors. These factors include age, gender, training goals, body composition, hormonal status, and current fat intake.
Generally speaking, fat consumption should be about 20-35% of your daily caloric intake, although in some cases, it may be up to 70%.
Some populations like those with diabetes or those suffering from obesity can benefit from getting a higher percentage of their daily calories from fat. On the other hand, athletes may prefer a lower-fat diet to prioritize carbohydrates for fuel and protein for recovery to increase physical performance.
Having too high of a dietary fat intake can make weight management difficult due to the high caloric impact. Remember, consuming more calories than your body can use will usually lead to body fat gain. Keep in mind that fat contains the highest amount of calories per gram, meaning foods high in fat are thus high in calories. Continually eating high-fat and high-calorie foods can increase the risk of diabetes, obesity, and various heart conditions associated with being overweight.
Not eating enough fats in the diet can present its own set of problems. It is unwise to let your fat intake drop below 20% of your total daily calories. This is where you can run into issues for both men and women. Men can experience hormonal irregularities (i.e. low testosterone), while women may experience things like amenorrhea (loss of menstrual cycle).
While eating too much or too little fat may not be the best idea, that doesn’t mean there is no place for dietary fats. When in the proper amounts, dietary fats are a part of a healthy diet.
Of your daily fat consumption: ⅓ of intake should come from saturated fat sources, while the other ⅔ should come from unsaturated fat sources.
Fat Digestion
The majority of fat digestion occurs in the small intestine. Due to their hydrophobic nature, the breakdown of fats in the digestive tract is rather poor and needs a little help. The liver produces bile, which is stored in the gallbladder, to break down triglycerides into smaller fatty acid chains. An enzyme secreted from the pancreas, pancreatic lipase, then acts to separate the chain's fatty acids and glycerol. Once the fatty acids are separated, they pass through the small intestine's cell membrane and enter the bloodstream. They are either used or stored for energy purposes or converted back into triglycerides and stored as adipose tissue. (4)
Foods with high-fat content can occasionally lead to stomach aches or other gastrointestinal issues. Keep in mind that the majority of fat digestion doesn’t occur until the small intestine and requires quite a bit of enzymatic activity. Issues digesting fat may come from reduced activity of these necessary digestive enzymes needed to break down fat. If issues continue, talking to your doctor about a possible medication to help might be worth considering. However, with that being said, there is some early research testing particular foods and spices, and their ability to increase both bile and pancreatic enzyme production, two necessary components to fat digestion. These foods and spices include papaya, pineapple, ginger, capsaicin, piperine, and curcumin. (5)
Types of Fat
While dietary fat is essential in the diet, certain fats should be consumed in larger quantities than others. Some fats pose more significant health risks and should be limited.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, a lipoprotein, is a fat-like substance that serves many essential functions in the body. It provides structure and function to our cell membranes and is integral in producing some essential hormones and vitamins.
Two main lipoproteins impact overall health the most. Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) are referred to as bad cholesterol. LDLs are found in foods with relatively high levels of saturated or trans fats and can increase the risk of various health conditions such as atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke. High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) are referred to as good cholesterol. HDLs are found more in unsaturated fats and can protect against cardiovascular risks, like heart disease (4).
Saturated Fats
The molecular structure of saturated fats are saturated with hydrogen, hence the name. These fats are usually solids at room temperature. While the body needs these types of fats for different physiological and structural functions, the body does produce these fatty acids on its own. Therefore, there is no dietary requirement for saturated fats. (2)
Intake of saturated fat should be no more than 10% of total daily calories.
Saturated fats may increase health risks if too much is consumed over an extended period of time. Too much saturated fat can raise LDL (or bad) cholesterol, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. (6)
Common sources of Saturated Fats:
Fatty cuts of:
Beef
Pork
Lamb
High-fat dairy foods:
Whole milk
Butter
Cheese
Sour cream
Ice cream
Tropical Oils:
Coconut oil
Palm oil
Cocoa butter
Dark chicken meat and poultry skin
Lard
Trans Fats
Trans fats are manufactured; there are no naturally occurring forms. They exist because they offer a cheap way to produce food while extending the shelf life of foods as well as providing a pleasant taste. They are arguably the worst types of fats and can be very damaging to overall health.
Intake of trans fats should be limited to less than 1% of total daily calories.
Like saturated fats, trans fats increase LDL (or bad) cholesterol levels; however, they also decrease HDL (or good) cholesterol levels. These effects increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Common sources of Trans Fats:
Fried Foods:
French fries
Doughnuts
Biscuits
Baked Goods:
Pies
Pastries
Cookies
Cakes
Processed Snack Foods:
Crackers
Microwave popcorn
Stick margarine and shortenings
Unsaturated Fats
Unsaturated fats contain some carbon molecules joined together by double bonds, making them more chemically active. (2) These fats are usually liquid at room temperature and may be healthier options in the diet.
There are two primary types of unsaturated fats we get in the diet: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats may lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels while maintaining healthy levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. (6)
Common sources of Monounsaturated Fats:
Nuts:
Almonds
Cashews
Peanuts
Pecans
Macadamia
Vegetable Oils:
Olive oil
Peanut oil
Sunflower oil
Safflower oil
Peanut Butter
Almond Butter
Avocados
Polyunsaturated Fats
Polyunsaturated fats are essential fats; the body cannot create them. These fats are typically found in plant-based foods and oils and lower the risk of heart disease by lowering blood cholesterol levels. (7)
There are two main subsets of polyunsaturated fats that greatly benefit overall health: Omega-3 fatty acids and Omega-6 fatty acids.
Omega-3s
These fats are generally consumed in smaller amounts when compared to other types of fats. Often an omega-3 supplement is needed to achieve adequate amounts in the diet. These types of fats have anti-inflammatory effects, helping to dilate blood vessels, decrease pain, and reduce systemic inflammation. (4)
Omega-3 fatty acids contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two fatty acids that play integral roles in human metabolism and overall brain health.
Common sources of Omega-3s:
Mackerel
Salmon
Herring
Cod liver oil
Oysters
Sardines
Anchovies
As you might guess, most of these foods are not very common in the average diet, which leads to lower levels available for the body. But just a few here and there can really make a difference.
Omega-6s
Of the omega fatty acids, these types of fats are consumed in larger quantities. These fats have pro-inflammatory effects, as they increase inflammation, cause blood clotting, and increase pain. While these qualities don’t sound too ideal, it is a necessary part of the body’s recovery and healing process.
Common sources of Omega-6s:
Nuts:
Walnuts
Almonds
Cashews
Oils:
Safflower oil
Avocado oil
Flaxseed oil
Grapeseed oil
Soybean oil
Seeds:
Sunflower seeds
Hemp seeds
Eggs
Tofu
It’s essential to balance the intake of omega-3s and omega-6s as best as possible. Focusing on food quality will help to bring those intakes to a more balanced level.
The recommended ratio for consumption of omega-3s to omega-6a should be 1:1.
My Top 5 Fat Sources
Avocados - Very high in monounsaturated fats and loaded with other great vitamins and minerals. Avocados can be a beneficial part of just about anyone’s diet.
Eggs - these are one of the more nutritious foods out there as far as I’m concerned. They boast a wide range of different beneficial nutrients and provide a hearty, healthy source of fat in addition to providing an adequate amount of protein.
Salmon - getting some fatty fish on a somewhat regular basis can be helpful. They are a good source of protein, but they contain high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient that is lacking in most individuals.
Olive Oil - having an oil involved in the cooking process is critical. It will help with the breakdown and absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). Olive oil is also a great monounsaturated food source.
Nuts - these foods make great between-meal snacks and offer a wide variety of different nutrients. Another great unsaturated fat source that can help limit feelings of hunger.
This list contains a nice balance of different types of fats. As you can see, they all come from a natural source, and each one helps to benefit overall health by contributing to a lower risk of cardiovascular-related conditions.
Key Takeaways of Dietary Fat Consumption
It’s important to remember that dietary fats are essential nutrients and a part of a healthy, well-balanced diet. Another thing to consider with fat consumption is not only how much fat we get in the diet, but perhaps more importantly, where that fat comes from. Certain fats provide more significant health benefits than others.
These guidelines will help optimize your fat consumption:
Total fat consumption should be about 20-35% of total daily calories.
Saturated fat consumption should be no more than 10% of total daily calories (5-6% is more ideal)
Trans fat consumption should be less than 1% of total daily calories.
The consumption ratio of Omega-3-to-Omega-6 fatty acids should be 1:1
Consumption of unsaturated fat sources should be greater than the consumption of saturated fat sources.
Consuming fat from natural food sources, whether from animal products or plant-based products, is a great way to limit the amount of processed and harmful fats. These natural food sources will provide more health benefits than their processed counterparts.
