If you think eating a completely fat-free diet is the right way to be healthy, think again. Including some fat in our diet is actually beneficial—as long as you’re smart about it. Here’s a quick guide to help boost your fat IQ fast! By using the following guidelines, you’ll know which fats are OK to eat and which should be eaten sparingly.
Our color-coded chart makes it as easy as obeying traffic signals.
GREEN LIGHT
Some fats known as essential fatty acids have health benefits. Make it a point to eat the recommended amounts of the foods that contain them, and you’ll be going full speed ahead when it comes to reaping their rewards.
YELLOW LIGHT
Sometimes you can drive right through a yellow light if you are cautious. Similarly, some fats take a little caution—you can have them in moderation, but too much of a good thing is definitely not a good thing.
RED LIGHT
Just as red lights signal traffic to stop, you’ll want to stop and think before you eat these fats. They present few health benefits. The more you stop to think about your food choices before eating these fats, the better.
| Fat |
Signal |
What it Does |
Where it’s Found |
Recommended Daily Amount |
| Omega-3 fatty acids |
GREEN LIGHT |
A type of polyunsaturated fat that aids in the body’s development, especially the brain and eyes |
Fatty, cold-water fish (including salmon, mackerel, albacore tuna or herring), flaxseeds, walnuts |
0.5–1.8 g per day, but more realistically obtained by eating Omega-3-rich fish twice a week |
| Omega-6 fatty acids |
GREEN LIGHT |
A polyunsaturated fat aiding in the body’s development; especially important for the brain and eyes |
Cereals, eggs, poultry, vegetable oils, whole-grain breads, baked products, margarine |
3%–6% of your daily calorie intake, or about 60-120 calories*, should be from Omega-6. Americans get plenty in their diets because of the many types of foods containing it |
| Monounsaturated fat |
YELLOW LIGHT |
Provides essential fatty acids for healthy skin and the development of body cells |
Olive/peanut/canola oil, avocados, most nuts |
Together, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat should comprise no more than 30% of your total daily calories. It doesn’t matter how much of each you have, as long as their total is less than the magical 30% mark (about 600 calories*) |
| Polyunsaturated fat |
YELLOW LIGHT |
A source of fatty acids for healthy skin and the development of body cells |
Vegetable oils (such as corn, sunflower and soy) |
See above |
| Saturated fat |
RED LIGHT |
The No. 1 cause of high blood cholesterol. When consumed, saturated fat can raise your level of LDL ("bad" cholesterol) and can contribute to clogging of the arteries |
Red meat, poultry, butter, whole milk |
Less than 10% of your total daily calories (about 200 calories*) |
| Trans fat |
RED LIGHT |
Trans fat acts like saturated fat in the body and can raise your LDL levels, while helping to lower your level of HDL (“good” cholesterol) |
Crackers, cookies, cakes, doughnuts, French fries, shortening |
No more than 1% of your total daily calories (about 20 calories*) |
| Dietary cholesterol |
RED LIGHT |
Since your body can naturally produce all the cholesterol it needs, limit the cholesterol you take in from foods |
Red meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products and butter |
Less than 300 mg per day. Consider that one medium egg contains 213 mg of cholesterol |
* Based on a 2,000-calorie diet.