By:David Silverman
Getty Images News
If you're wondering how much fat you need to stay healthy, then you also need to have an idea about good fat vs. bad fat nutrition.
Consuming healthy fats is to make fats about 20-35 percent of your daily calorie intake.
What is Good Fat vs. Bad Fat Nutrition?
You can eat more dairy products, increase intake of omega-3 fatty acid found in fish like mackerel and sardines, and reduce the amount of saturated fat and trans fats. Trans fats are commonly found in food served in fast food chains that sell fried foods like KFC chicken and McDonalds french fries.
These are types of dietary fats and it should give you an idea about good fat vs.bad fat nutrition, according to Helpguide.org:
- monounsaturated fats (good fats): Olive oil, Canola oil, Sunflower oil, Peanut oil, Sesame oil, Avocados, Olives, Nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews), Peanut butter
- polyunsaturated fats (good fats): Soybean oil, Corn oil, Safflower oil, Walnuts, Sunflower, Sesame, and pumpkin seeds, Flaxseed, Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines), Soymilk, Tofu
- trans fats (bad fats): Commercially-baked pastries, cookies, doughnuts, muffins, cakes, pizza dough, Packaged snack foods (crackers, microwave popcorn, chips), Stick margarine, Vegetable shortening, Fried foods (French fries, fried chicken, chicken nuggets, breaded fish), Candy bars
- saturated fats (bad fats): High-fat cuts of meat (beef, lamb, pork), Chicken with the skin, Whole-fat dairy products (milk and cream), Butter, Cheese, Ice cream, Palm and coconut oil, Lard
A study done be Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, adult populations require 20-35 percent of energy from dietary fat along with higher intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega 3 fatty acids). The research was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
One way to improve health is to add more fish, nuts and seeds to the diet.
"Fat is a critical nutrient, and certain types of fat, such as omega-3s and omega-6s, are needed for good health. For this and other health reasons, a fat-free diet is not recommended," the study said.
