Fat

Learn to make healthier food choices by using the Nutrition Facts table on prepackaged foods. Fat is found in the Nutrition Facts table.

What is fat?

Fat is an important nutrient for your health. Fat plays many different roles in the body:

• It gives you energy (also called calories).
• It helps your body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K.
• It helps your body grow and develop.

There are many different kinds of fat in foods:

• Unsaturated such as monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat
• Saturated
• Trans

The type and the amount of fat you eat are important. Some types of fat, like saturated and trans fats, may increase your risk of developing heart disease and should be limited. Replace saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats to help lower your risk.

Where can you find fat?

Some sources of fat in the diet are:

• Animal fat such as lard, suet and tallow
• Butter
• Fish such as herring, salmon, sardines, trout
• Foods made from oil such as margarine, mayonnaise, salad dressing
• Higher fat dairy products such as cheese, cream, ice cream, sour cream
• Meats such as beef, deli meats, lamb, pork, processed meats
• Nuts and seeds
• Poultry like chicken and turkey (most of the fat is in the skin or dark meat)
• Vegetable oils such as canola, flax, olive, peanut, safflower, sunflower

Fat is also added to many foods:

• Baked goods such as cakes, cookies, doughnuts, pies
• Fast food
• French fries
• Frozen mixed dishes
• Potato Chips

How can you make a healthier choice?

• You do need some fat for a healthy diet. Eat a small amount of unsaturated fats each day and limit your intake of saturated and trans fats.
• Use the % Daily Value (% DV) in the Nutrition Facts table.
• Remember: 5% DV or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot for all nutrients.
• Saturated and trans fats are nutrients you may want less of.

Helpful hints at the grocery store:

• Always look at the Nutrition Facts table to choose and compare foods.
• Choose leaner meats, lower fat milk and milk alternatives.
• Buy fish every week such as herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and trout.
• Choose vegetable oils such as canola, olive and soybean.
• Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and tofu.
• Choose soft margarines that are low in saturated and trans fat.
• Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat.

How is the % DV for fat calculated?

The Daily Value used in nutrition labelling is based on 65 g of fat for a 2000 calorie reference diet. Read more +/-

What is unsaturated fat?

Unsaturated fat is a type of fat found in the foods you eat. Choose unsaturated fat as part of a balanced diet using Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide. Replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats has been shown to help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.

For good health, include a small amount (2-3 tablespoons or 30-45 mL) of unsaturated fats each day. Even though it is a "good fat," having too much may lead to having too many calories, which may cause weight gain and increase your risk of developing obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Eat unsaturated fats in small amounts.

There are two main types of unsaturated fats:

• Monounsaturated fat
• Polyunsaturated fat

Where can you find monounsaturated fat?

• Avocados
• Nuts and seeds
• Vegetable oils such as canola, olive, peanut, safflower, sesame, sunflower

Where can you find polyunsaturated fat?

• Fatty fish such as herring, mackerel, salmon, trout
• Nuts and seeds
• Vegetable oils such as canola, corn, flaxseed, soybean, sunflower

Additional resources:

• Interactive tools
• Using the Nutrition Facts table: % Daily Value (Factsheet)
• Interactive Nutrition Label and Quiz
• Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide
• Shopping tips