HE-0690 FAT Grams
FAT Grams
 veryone is talking about fat and cholesterol – low-fat hamburgers and “lite” mayonnaise. Some people are trying to lose weight by counting grams of fat instead of counting calories in food. Most food labels list grams of fat in food along with protein and carbohydrates.
But
What
is a
Gram
of
FAT?
It’s about 1/28 ounce, a very, very small amount. In other words, it takes 28 grams to make an ounce. It’s the same idea as 25 pennies making a quarter.
Most foods are sold by weight. You can buy 10 pounds of potatoes or a 3-pound roast. You buy a pound of cheese or 5 pounds of flour. The weight of food comes from protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, and in some foods, alcohol. A lot of the weight comes from water. For example, water makes up 90 percent of a cup of milk or a piece of watermelon, 75 percent of a banana, and 35 percent of a piece of
bread. Even a cooked hamburger patty gets 50 percent of its weight from water.
Label readers know that for most foods the amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fat are given in grams. These amounts are listed in grams because they are small amounts. It is easier to list grams than ounces in small amounts.
Protein, carbohydrates, and fat are what is left over after the water is removed from a food. In addition, these three substances (plus alcohol) give calories or energy to food. Water has weight but doesn’t have any calories.
WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT GRAMS OF FAT?
Do you feel that you don’t need to think about what you eat, especially how much fat? After all, you probably know of someone who ate anything and lived to be 95.
Let’s face it – these people are the lucky few. In addition, many of these people were more physically active than people are today, so their bodies burned more of the calories they ate.
Today, most health professionals agree that Americans eat too much fat. The main problem with eating a lot of fat is simply that fat will make you gain weight faster than any other part of the food you eat. This is because a given amount of fat has more than twice as many calories as the same amount of protein or carbohydrates. (Remember, water gives a food weight but not calories.)
The fatter you are, the greater your chances of getting heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some types of cancer. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to show the harmful effects of 20 or 30 pounds of extra fat. Simply stated, it’s not healthy to be fat.
Many Americans will be told by a doctor to watch what they eat at some time in their lives. Most will be told to limit the amount of fat they eat.
How much fat should you eat? It is suggested that only 30 percent or less of your total caloric intake should come from fat. Most Americans eat more fat than 30 percent.
If you want to figure out how many grams of fat you should be eating per day, here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Determine how many calories you need per day. The chart below gives average values for people
of normal weight with a light physical activity level. You might need more or fewer calories depending on your height, weight, and exercise level.
Step 2: Divide the calories you need per day by 30. For example, 1,600 calories divided by 30 equals 53 grams of fat. This is a short cut, but it gives you a good approximate number.
| Women (5 feet 4 inches, 120 pounds) |
| |
Age |
Calories Per Day |
Grams of Fat |
| |
23-50 |
1,600 |
53 |
| |
51-75 |
1,500 |
50 |
| |
76+ |
1,300 |
43 |
| Men (5 feet 10 inches, 154 pounds) |
| |
23-50 |
2,100 |
70 |
| |
51-75 |
1,700 |
57 |
| |
76+ |
1,600 | 53 |
1. The first step is easy. Eat less fried food at home and when eating out.
2. The second step isn’t hard either. Go easy on adding extra fats to foods. Skip the margarine or butter on your toast or biscuit and use
only jam. Use less mayonnaise on your sandwich even if it is low-fat, no-cholesterol mayonnaise. Fats are easy to locate – they leave grease on your fingers.
3. The third step takes more time. Remove the visible fats from foods. Trim meats and skin chicken. Skim the fat from soups, gravies, and
vegetables.
4. The fourth step can be tricky. Learn to read food labels. During the 1990s, labels on food packages changed. The goal was to make them easier to use, yet some changes may be confusing. If you count fat grams, however, you shouldn’t have too much trouble. Fat
grams are listed on most food labels.
5. The fifth step is the hardest. Eat in moderation. In other words, stop after one small brownie.
FATS IN FOODS
The following chart lists calories, fat grams, and percentage of calories from fat in a wide variety of foods. Foods within a category have similar categories and fat content. Look for general trends within groups of food. A difference of 10 calories or 1 gram of fat is not enough to worry about, unless you always choose the higher-fat foods.
FATS & OILS
Use small amounts. One serving has about 10 to 11 grams of fat and at least 100 calories. Because serving sizes vary, the best rule of thumb is to eat in moderation.
| Food |
Amount |
Calories |
Fat
Grams |
Percent
Calories
From
Fat |
|
| Saturated Fats: |
| Bacon |
2 slices |
100 |
10 |
90 |
| Butter |
1 tbsp. |
100 |
11 |
100 |
| Chocolate, plain |
1 oz. |
145 |
9 |
62 |
| Cream cheese |
2 tbsp. |
100 |
10 |
90 |
| Sour cream |
4 tbsp. |
100 |
12 |
100 |
| Whipping cream |
2 tbsp. |
100 |
12 |
100 |
| Unsaturated Fats: |
| Margarine |
| Hard |
1 tbsp. |
100 |
11 |
100 |
| Soft |
1 tbsp. |
75 |
9 |
100 |
| Mayonnaise |
1 tbsp. |
100 |
11 |
100 |
| Nuts |
| Almonds |
12 whole |
100 |
10 |
90 |
| Pecans |
2 whole |
100 |
10 |
90 |
| Walnuts |
2 whole |
100 |
10 |
90 |
| Peanuts |
15 whole |
100 |
10 |
90 |
| Oil: |
| Corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybean, sunflower, olive, peanut |
| |
1 tbsp. |
125 |
14 |
100 |
| Salad dressings |
1 tbsp. |
60-90 |
6-9 |
100 |
BREADS,
CEREALS,
CRACKERS,
PASTA
Include breads and grains in your diet – eat a variety of cereals and breads. Typical servings are ½ cup of cereal, grain, or pasta or 1 ounce of a bread product. One serving has a trace of fat and about 80 calories. Some exceptions are listed below. These grain products have lots of fat.
| Food |
Amount |
Calories |
Fat
Grams |
Percent
Calories
From
Fat |
|
| Biscuit |
2½” |
100 |
5 |
45 |
| Chow mein noodles |
½ cup |
110 |
6 |
49 |
| Cornbread |
1 wedge |
145 |
12 |
74 |
| Cracker, |
Round
Butter type |
4 |
60 |
4 |
60 |
| Croissant |
4” |
235 |
12 |
46 |
| Granola |
½ cup |
298 |
17 |
51 |
| Muffin, bran |
2½” |
125 |
6 |
43 |
| Stuffing |
½ cup |
250 |
16 |
58 |
| Taco shell |
1 |
65 |
2 |
30 |
| Waffle |
7” |
245 |
13 |
48 |
FROZEN DESSERTS
Substitute frozen yogurt and sherbet for high-fat ice cream.
| Food |
Amount |
Calories |
Fat
Grams |
Percent
Calories
From
Fat |
|
| Fruit popsicle |
1 bar |
65 |
0 |
0 |
| Fruit ice |
1 bar |
247 |
trace |
trace |
| Fudgesicle |
1 bar |
91 |
trace |
trace |
| Frozen yogurt, Fruit-flavored |
1 cup |
216 |
2 |
1 |
| Sherbet, orange |
1 cup |
270 |
4 |
13 |
| Pudding pops |
1 bar |
94 |
3 |
29 |
| Ice milk, vanilla Soft serve |
1 cup |
223 |
5 |
20 |
| Ice milk, vanilla Hard |
1 cup |
184 |
6 |
29 |
| Ice cream, vanilla |
1 cup |
269 |
14 |
47 |
| Ice cream, French vanilla, soft |
1 cup |
377 |
23 |
55 |
| Ice cream, vanilla, rich (16% fat) |
1 cup |
349 |
24 |
62 |
DAIRY & EGG PRODUCTS
Wean yourself from whole milk to 2% and then to 1% or skim. Look for low-fat chocolate milk.
| Food |
Amount |
Calories |
Fat
Grams |
Percent
Calories
From
Fat |
|
| Milk: |
| Skim |
8 oz. |
86 |
trace |
trace |
| Buttermilk |
8 oz. |
99 |
2 |
18 |
| Low-fat, 1% fat |
8 oz. |
102 |
3 |
26 |
| Low-fat, 2% fat |
8 oz. |
121 |
5 |
37 |
| Whole, 3.3% fat |
8 oz. |
150 |
8 |
48 |
| Yogurt: |
| Plain |
4 oz. |
70 |
4 |
46 |
| Plain, low-fat |
4 oz. |
63 |
trace |
trace |
| Eggs: |
| Whole |
1 |
79 |
6 |
68 |
| White only |
1 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
| Yolk only |
1 |
63 |
6 |
86 |
CHEESE
Most cheese has 8 grams of fat and 100 calories per serving. If you love cheese, look for those with 5 or 6 grams of fat per ounce. Part-skim mozzarella is one good choice. One serving of cheese equals 1 ounce or a 1-inch cube.
| Food |
Amount |
Calories |
Fat
Grams |
Percent
Calories
From
Fat |
|
| Brie |
1 oz. |
95 |
8 |
99 |
| Cheddar |
1 oz. |
114 |
9 |
71 |
| Colby |
1 oz. |
112 |
9 |
72 |
| Cream |
1 oz. |
99 |
10 |
91 |
| Gouda |
1 oz. |
101 |
8 |
71 |
| Monterey Jack |
1 oz. |
106 |
9 |
51 |
| Muenster |
1 oz. |
104 |
8 |
69 |
| Swiss |
1 oz. |
107 |
8 |
69 |
Meat,
Poultry,
Fish,
Shellfish
Three ounces of cooked lean beef or chicken (without skin) – which is about the size of a deck of cards – has 6 to 7 grams of fat.
Choose lean cuts. Look for beef or pork with the words “round” or “loin” in the name: sirloin, tenderloin, eye of round, round steak. Make hamburgers from ground round or ground sirloin.
In packaged luncheon meats, look for those that have 1 gram of fat per 1-ounce serving. Good choices: chicken or turkey breast, lean roast beef, ham.
Weights given in the chart are for cooked servings. Three ounces equal one serving.
| Food |
Amount |
Calories |
Fat
Grams |
Percent
Calories
From
Fat |
|
| Beef |
| Lowest fat: |
| Top round, eye of round, bottom round, short loin, wedgebone sirloin |
3 oz. |
170 |
7 |
37 |
| Moderately fat: |
| Pot roast (chuck), T-bone, porterhouse steak, flank, blade roast |
3 oz. |
200 |
11 |
48 |
| Higher fat: |
| Corned beef, ground beef, short ribs |
3 oz. |
275 |
15 |
60 |
| Highest fat: |
| Salami |
3-4 slices |
262 |
21 |
71 |
| Bologna |
3-4 slices |
312 |
29 |
82 |
| Frankfurter |
2 |
315 |
29 |
82 |
| Food |
Amount |
Calories |
Fat
Grams |
Percent
Calories
From
Fat |
|
| Pork |
| Lowest fat: |
| Fresh tender, cured ham, cured shoulder, fresh ham shank, rump |
3 oz. |
163 |
7 |
40 |
| Moderately fat: |
| Fresh loin, Boston |
3 oz. |
226 |
15 |
60 |
| Highest fat: |
| Italian sausage, bratwurst, liverwurst, sausage links, spareribs |
3 oz. |
370 |
25 |
71 |
| Poultry |
| Chicken or turkey, skinned |
1 serving |
170 |
6 |
30 |
| Chicken frankfurter |
2 franks |
257 |
20 |
68 |
| Turkey bologna |
3 slices |
199 |
15 |
69 |
| Turkey frankfurter |
2 franks |
226 |
18 |
18 |
| Food |
Amount |
Calories |
Fat
Grams |
Percent
Calories
From
Fat |
|
| Fish & Shellfish |
| Very low-fat: |
| Bass, cod, clams, crab, grouper, lobster, shrimp, snapper, tuna (water-packed) |
3 oz. |
100-135 |
1-2 |
7-19 |
| Low-fat: |
| Tuna (oil-packed), oysters |
3 oz. |
160 |
5 |
30 |
| Moderately fat: |
| Catfish |
3 oz. |
128 |
7 |
49 |
| Salmon |
3 oz. |
216 |
11 |
46 |
| Highest fat: |
| Mackerel |
3 oz. |
262 |
18 |
61 |
Sweets & Snacks
Buy low-fat cake mixes. When it comes to cookies, fig bars and graham crackers are good low-fat choices. Snack on air-popped popcorn, light popcorn, and pretzels instead of chips.
| Food |
Amount |
Calories |
Fat
Grams |
Percent
Calories
From
Fat |
|
| Cookies |
| Vanilla wafers |
5 |
94 |
3 |
32 |
| Fig bars |
4 |
210 |
4 |
17 |
| Oatmeal |
4 small |
245 |
4 |
37 |
| Chocolate chip |
4 small |
185 |
11 |
54 |
| Cakes & Pies |
| Angel food cake |
1/12 |
125 |
trace |
trace |
| Gingerbread |
1 square |
175 |
4 |
21 |
| Pound cake |
1 slice |
110 |
5 |
41 |
| Lemon meringue pie |
1/6 |
355 |
14 |
36 |
| Apple pie |
1/6 |
405 |
18 |
40 |
| Pudding |
| Chocolate |
½ cup |
150 |
4 |
24 |
| Snacks |
| Popcorn, air-popped |
1 cup |
30 |
trace |
trace |
| Popcorn, popped in oil |
1 cup |
55 |
3 |
49 |
| Pretzels |
10 |
10 |
trace |
trace |
| Corn chips |
1 oz. |
155 |
9 |
52 |
| Potato chips |
1 oz. |
147 |
10 |
62 |
Three
Simple
Rules
What if your favorite foods are high in fat? Three simple rules can help you enjoy some of your favorites while still maintaining an overall healthy eating plan.
Rule Number 1
Mix a low-fat food with a high-fat food. Instead of french fries, eat a plain baked potato with fried chicken.
Rule Number 2
Don’t eat high-fat food every day. If you eat a fatty food one day, then the next day cut back on the fats and eat more fruits, vegetables, breads, and cereals.
Rule Number 3
Enjoy! (A meal high in fat is okay every now and then. Don’t forget to eat moderate amounts.)
No one diet is right for everyone. The information in this publication is a general guideline. For more detailed information about your specific needs, check with your doctor, dietitian, or nutritionist.
Barbara Struempler, Extension Nutritionist, Professor, Nutrition and Food Science, Auburn University
For more information, contact your county Extension office. Visit http://www.aces.edu/counties or look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find contact information.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and
home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related
acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama
Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn
University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal
opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color,
national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.
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