What is the recommended percentage of fat intake per day?
Fear of fat can lead people to make unhealthy dietary choices. But you are right – too much is dangerous. The daily recommended requirement is between 20%-30% if your total caloric intake. Anything under 20% may not allow for the metabolizing of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, K, and E. which help maintain eyesight, and destroy harmful chemicals. Anything more than 30% can potentially lead to heart disease. Whether fat is saturated (from animal products or coconut and palm trees) or unsaturated (from vegetable sources), the rate of burning calories remains the same. The goal is to keep your source of saturated fat under 8%. Products made with or baked in olive, canola, corn, peanut, safflower, or soy oils are best as these are all unsaturated. However, keep in mind that pan frying or deep frying anything (e.g., french fries) increases the absorption of fat into the product potentially putting you over your daily limit of 30%.
