A friend of mine is limiting herself to 20 grams of fat aday. Is this healthy to do? She is loosing good and says she feels great but that just sounds so low to me. She says she still eats around 1500 cals a day too.
Well, a lot of recommendations are for 30% of your diet being from fat. One gram of fat contains 9 calories, so if you do the math, "Low-Fat" items can only be called low fat if they have 3 grams or less per 100 calories. (Meaning 27 calories, or 27% from fat.)
So, if you are eating a low fat diet, the key is around 30% of your diet. If you eat 1200 calories a day, then that would be 36 grams of fat per day. If you are eating 1400 calories a day, then that would be 42 grams of fat per day.
20 grams of fat is really only good if you are eating about 700 calories a day...and that isn't healthy, either-so 20 grams a day is too low.
The body does need SOME fat. Too low fat for too long can cause brittle hair, dry skin-visible ailments on the outside, as well as inside.
IMO, 20 grams of fat is too low but isn't necessarily unhealthy, depending on her overall calorie count and how nutrient dense those calories are. More important than how much fat your friend is consuming is the type of fat she is consuming. There is a big difference between the fat found in potato chips and ice cream and the fat found in almonds, olive oil, avocado, etc.
That figures out to about 12% of her calories coming from fat. At least she is eating SOME fat. Back in the early 90's we had that "fat makes you fat" mentality (remember Susan Powter?). Thank goodness we've come to realize that consumed fat isn't the only thing that makes us fat. The vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble vitamins. They need fat to be absorbed by the body.
Quote:
Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed, together with fat from the intestine, into the circulation. Any disease or disorder that affects the absorption of fat, such as coeliac disease, could lead to a deficiency of these vitamins. Once absorbed into the circulation these vitamins are carried to the liver where they are stored.
Vitamins A, D, E and K make up the the fat soluble vitamins. Vitamins A, D and K are stored in the liver and vitamin E is distributed throughout the body's fatty tissues.
If your friend is taking a multivitamin, I would think if she took this along with a meal that does contain fat, maybe she'd be okay. ?? (But I'm not a doctor.)
Well, I still think that 12% of your diet from fat is still a little too low-when a low fat diet is at about 30%. I think that low fat is fine, but 12% is getting a little bit close to the early 90's Susan Powter stuff like Kimberly mentioned.
Hi, OH my gosh you have got to be kidding. AHHH !! I am calorie counting, and have been aiming for around 1500 a day. And I've been eating lots of healthy stuff, veggies, fruit, whole grain yada yada, but I had NO IDEA that I'm supposed to be eating that much fat!! I tend to avoid anything with fat over 1.5 grams per serving. If I eat food without much fat, i.e. veggies, I can have more and not feel like I am starving. I know fat is supposed to make you feel full longer but. . . come on! 40 grams? I'm getting less than 10g of fat a day. But I'm eating lots of nutrient dense stuff, and I thought I was rocking out !!!
Fat soluble vitamins? What? I am crapping my pants !! Oh well I guess this can't be too bad. Maybe I can move up from Fat free EVERYTHING and get something a little more tasty. I know for sure that I really love the "light" yogurt way better than I do the Fat free kind. And hey maybe I will have salmon more often. This might be nice, but I really had no idea that we need so much. I thought I was a weight loss diet guru swami, but this site is so proving me wrong. I love it !! Thank you all so much. Lindy
lindystar -- I know what you mean, there is SO much to learn!
I know that the current guidelines from the USDA are to average 20-35% of calories from fats, but what KIND of fats are also important. Better to choose olive oil over butter and fish oil fats over beef. I try to keep my fats between 20-30% (as aphil said)... that is considered low fat I believe.
Here's a link to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for the General Population:
haha you are so funny lindystar! i totally get what you are saying! so, what is your main food consumption? do you munch on carrot sticks and celery all day? your diet sounds like a good one to follow!
An aweful lot of foods have minute amounts of fat in them. Even oatmeal. I wish I could stick with 20% but .... It's just not that easy. I eat a lot of no fat, veggies, fruits etc and still go over.
I'd be inclined to believe that someone who thinks they eat less than 15% is just calculating funny.
I keep a very detailed food journal, and I went to fit day, (finally) and entered in my food. And once again I about crapped. It was 10% fat, 30%protein and 60% carb. I was thinking that eating yogurt and milk with cereal was getting me LOTS of protein, but I guess not that much. The cereal iteself, and sugar in yogurt, and all those lovely fruits and whole grains and darn veggies too, are all stinking made up of carbs. I eat most all fruit and veggies plain, so I'm not adding any fat or calories, (I use that wonderful spray butter that is 0 calories) and it turns out that I'm getting like all of my calories from carbs. Oh geez.
I'm loosing weight though, just a little under 2 pounds a week. And I get lots of vitamins and stuff, so do I HAVE to eat fat and more protein? I know protein is like really important, I don't remember exactly what for but well I guess it just is, and I guess if I need fat to be able to absorb all those lovely nutrients and vitamins . . . well crap I guess I just answered my own question.
I have a dirty crabby look on my face right now, thinking about doing another diet overhaul. Maybe if I just add some fish and flax. ooooooh or maybe some eggs or chicken, I can do that. I just hope I don't get hungry from cutting down on quantity while keepking the same calories.
I guess the world might not end. I'm gonna go buy some fish. I love this website, thank you all so much, Lindy
I aim for 30% fat, 30% protein and 40% carbs...so by that count you are ok on protein. Just bump up the fat a little if it's a concern. If you are losing and you feel good - it might just be the right mix for you, already. Different people process food in different ways. For example - plenty of people swear by low carb. For me - it's not anything I could sustain for any period of time...but that's just me.
The American Heart Association recommends 15% Protein, 55% Carbs and 30% Fat. Realistically, you are doing great!
I looked at my percentages in Balance Log for yesterday and I came out with 25% Protein, 57% Carbs and 19% Fat. I guess I didn't eat any fatty meats yesterday. I had a chili dog for lunch... with a light hot dog and leftover homemade chili with 96% extra lean ground beef. I made venison stew for supper. Venison is very low in fat.
Is this healthy?
Oh well I guess this can't be too bad. Maybe I can move up from Fat free EVERYTHING and get something a little more tasty. I know for sure that I really love the "light" yogurt way better than I do the Fat free kind. And hey maybe I will have salmon more often. This might be nice, but I really had no idea that we need so much. I thought I was a weight loss diet guru swami, but this site is so proving me wrong. I love it !! 
