It's good to learn about all the different types of fats and examples of each.  For a 2,000 calorie per day diet, it's recommended that you eat less than 65 grams of fat per day.  Of that amount, include no more than 20 grams of saturated fat per day.  Foods high in saturated fat tend to raise blood cholesterol, which increases your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Saturated Fat

Foods high in saturated fat tend to raise blood cholesterol, which increases risk for heart disease and stroke. Foods high in saturated fat include:

  • high-fat dairy products like cheese, whole milk,
    cream, butter and full-fat ice cream
  • fatty fresh and processed meats
  • the skin and fat of poultry
  • lard
  • palm oil
  • coconut oil

Dietary Cholesterol

Some foods containing cholesterol also tend to raise blood cholesterol, which increases your risk for heart disease and stroke.  These foods include:

  • liver and other organ meats
  • egg yolks
  • dairy fats

Trans Fatty Acids

Foods high in trans fatty acids tend to raise blood cholesterol, which increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. These foods include those high in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as many hard margarines and shortenings.  Many commercially prepared fried and bake foods are especially high in trans fatty acids.

Unsaturated Fats

 Unsaturated fats (oils, fats in a liquid state) help keep blood cholesterol low, and therefore can help prevent heart disease.  However, they still are high in calories, so take care to avoid excess amounts.  Unsaturated fats occur in foods such as:

  • vegetable oils
  • most nuts
  • olives
  • avocados
  • fatty fish like salmon

There are two types of unsaturated oils: monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.  

Examples of monounsaturated fats:

  • olive oil
  • peanut oil
  • canola oil

Examples of polyunsaturated fats:

  • soybean oil
  • corn oil
  • cottonseed oil
  • many kind of nuts
  • fatty ocean fish (containing a special kind of polyunsaturated fat:
    Omega-3 fatty acids)

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