How much fat should be eaten per day?
The UK Government recommends that the average daily intake of fat should not exceed 33% of total energy. The average intake is currently about 39%. Fat is made up mainly of fatty acids, which can be divided into three main groups – saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fatty acids. All fat-containing foods contain all three types, but in varying proportions. Saturated fat is usually solid at room temperature and is more often found in animal fats – meat, lard, dairy produce, and in manufactured goods – pies, pastries, cakes and biscuits. It has been proved that a diet high in saturated fats can raise the level of ‘bad’ blood cholesterol (LDL), which is a major risk factor in heart disease. Polyunsaturated fat is usually liquid at room temperature or cooler – corn, safflower, sunflower and walnut oils. They have been shown to lower LDL blood cholesterol levels. A certain amount of polyunsaturated fats are needed in our diets because they contain what are termed essential fatty
