Daily Healthy Fats

See an Example

More than a decade ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created the famous Food Guide Pyramid placing fats on the top as the least of your dietary needs. Today, we know there are good fats and bad fats. Thanks in part to the Harvard School of Public Health, we know healthy fats are an important part of our diet and belong on the bottom, most important tier of our food pyramid.

Now before you quickly choose a real low number, let me tell you some of the things fats are responsible for in your body.

Maintaining skin and hair Storing and transporting fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K Protecting cell walls Keeping our bodies warm Protecting organs Energy Production Diffusion of oxygen into the bloodstream Hemoglobin production Vital for the transportation and metabolism of triglycerides and cholesterol Brain and nerve tissue development Control cell membrane fluids Lower high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels

Stabilize insulin and blood sugar levels Treat arthritis Anti-inflammatory effect Helpful in inflammatory conditions Relieve asthma Ease PMS symptoms Decrease allergy response Strengthen immune system Reduce water retention, by assisting in sodium and water removal Aids in skin texture Alleviate psoriasis Calming effect and regulates mood

Now we need to distinguish between good fats (a.k.a. essential fatty acids) and bad fats (a.k.a. artery hardeners). Fats can be defined as saturated or unsaturated. Unsaturated fats can further be divided into monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. Unsaturated fats that are partially hydrogenated become trans fatty acids.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are essential fatty acids. The intake of saturated fats should be minimized. Trans fatty acids should be avoided all together. For more information on the necessity of fats in your diet, see our page on Fats.

Less than 30% of your daily calories should come from healthy fats. Around 20% is ideal, higher as your protein intake increases. Be sure to stay above the 7% minimum for men, or 12% minimum for women.

Daily Healthy Fats Example

To calculate you daily calorie requirements, with 20% of your calories coming from healthy fats, enter 20 into the Daily Healthy Fats text box in the Simplebean Health Guide.

This page is a help entry for the Free Simplebean Health Guide. To plan a healthy diet, use this MS Windows software to quickly calculate important health info such as your BMI, BEE, personalized daily calorie requirements and targets in carbs, proteins, and fats, and the target weight for your build. It is great for weight loss or maintenance. Click here for additional Help Topics.

Was this information helpful?
Yes	No	Comment:

More about Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating by Walter C. Willett Aimed at nothing less than totally restructuring the diets of Americans, Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy may well accomplish its goal. Dr. Walter C. Willett gets off to a roaring start by totally dismantling one of the largest icons in health today: the USDA Food Pyramid that we all learn in elementary school.

Browse more titles from Simplebean’s Recommended Reading List.