Fat RDA, Benefits and Sources

Fats consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and belong to the group of molecules called lipids. Generally dietary fat is essential for the body to function properly. Vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K are all fat soluble vitamins, which means fat is required for their digestion, absorption and transportation. There are are also essential fatty acids which are not made by the body and must be obtained from ingested fat for example linoleic acid.Fatty acids help with body functions such as blood pressure control, blood clotting and inflammation.

Fats are broken down in the body to give glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol can be converted into glucose in the liver and used as a source of energy. The fatty acids are also a good source of energy. Fat provides 9 kCal of energy per gram which is more than double the energy provided by carbohydrate or protein (4 kCal).

Fats are grouped into the following types saturated fats, unsaturated fats, mono-unsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, trans fatty acids, hydrogenated fats, partially hydrogenated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids.

What really matters is the type of fat in the diet. Bad fats, ie saturated and trans fats, increase the risk for certain diseases while good fats, meaning monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, lower the risk. For a healthy diet replace saturated and trans fats (the bad fats) with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

Although cholesterol is in food the average person makes about 75% of cholesterol in the liver and about 25% is absorbed through food. The fats in your diet have the largest influence on blood cholesterol levels. Although it is still important to limit the amount of cholesterol you eat.

RDA FAT

The daily value or daily recommended allowance based on a 2000 calorie diet is 65g of Fat. For saturated fat the total is 20 g.

Sources of fat

We have sorted our nutrition database by different fat content.

Total fat content in food
Saturated fat content in food
Trans fat content in food
Mono-unsaturated fat content in food
Poly-unsaturated fat content in food
Cholesterol content in food

We have sorted our nutrition database to help you find high fat foods. There is also the equivalent Low Fat Foods.So you can easily see how much fat is contained in different foods. You can also search through our database using the search box below or browse the fat content by food category.

fat in foods - by food category

Baby Food		Baked Products
Beef Products		Breakfast Cereals
Cereal Grains and Pasta		Dairy Products
Drinks		Ethnic Foods
Fast Foods		Fats and Oils
Fish		Fruits
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products		Legumes and Legume Products
Meals, Entrees, and Sidedishes		Nuts
Pork		Poultry Products
Sausages and Luncheon Meats		Snacks
Soups		Spices and Herbs
Sweets		Vegetables
Cakes		Fruit Juices
Soy Products		Sauces
Shellfish		Candy
Spreads		Soda
Dried Fruits		Soups
Cookies		Biscuits

Excess Fat

Excess saturated fat can cause cholesterol to build up within the arteries. Excess fat in the diet because of the high calorie content, can increase your chances of obesity, which increases the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.

Related Fat Pages

Tips to lower fat intake 101 low fat tips.