I'm concerned about saturated fat. What's an easy way to track how much I'm getting?

Answer From Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting saturated fat to 10% or less of your daily calories.

To figure out what that means for you, start with the number of calories you normally eat or want to eat in a day. Multiply that number by 10%.

If you normally eat 2,000 calories a day, no more than 200 calories should come from saturated fat. What is that in grams? There are 9 calories in a gram of fat, so that equals 22 grams.

The main sources of saturated fat in the typical U.S. diet are sandwiches, desserts and sweet snacks. Saturated fat occurs naturally in meat and dairy products. It's added to many baked goods. The Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods lists the amount of saturated fat for one serving.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends cutting back on saturated fats by replacing them with unsaturated fats. For example, you can cut 5 grams of saturated fat by replacing 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

March 06, 2021 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. MIND diet may cut Alzheimer's risk
  2. 3 diet changes women over 50 should make right now
  3. 3 key changes in the new Nutrition Facts label
  4. Healthy-eating habits
  5. Reduce sugar in your diet
  6. Acai berries
  7. Added sugar
  8. Alcohol use
  9. Alkaline water
  10. Are energy drinks bull?
  11. Artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes
  12. Autism spectrum disorder and digestive symptoms
  13. Bad food habits at work? Get back on track in 5 steps
  14. Best oil for cooking?
  15. Dietary guidelines
  16. Boost your calcium levels without dairy? Yes you can!
  17. Breast-feeding nutrition: Tips for moms
  18. Caffeine: How much is too much?
  19. Is caffeine dehydrating?
  20. Calorie calculator
  21. The role of diet and exercise in preventing Alzheimer's disease
  22. Can whole-grain foods lower blood pressure?
  23. Carbohydrates
  24. Chart of high-fiber foods
  25. Cholesterol: Top foods to improve your numbers
  26. Coconut water: Healthy drink or marketing scam?
  27. Coffee and health
  28. Diet soda: How much is too much?
  29. Dietary fats
  30. Dietary fiber
  31. Prickly pear cactus
  32. Does soy really affect breast cancer risk?
  33. Don't get tricked by these 3 heart-health myths
  34. Don't go cuckoo for coconut water
  35. Make healthy snack choices
  36. Eat more of these key nutrients
  37. Eggs: Bad for cholesterol?
  38. Energy drinks
  39. Fiber: Soluble or insoluble?
  40. Fish and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
  41. Fit more fiber into your diet
  42. Get to know the new Nutrition Facts label
  43. Grape juice health benefits
  44. Guidelines for a good ileostomy diet
  45. Is chocolate healthy?
  46. Healthy heart for life: Avoiding heart disease
  47. Healthy-eating tip: Don't forget fiber
  48. High-fructose corn syrup
  49. High-protein diets
  50. Alcohol during the holidays: 4 ways to sip smarter
  51. Holiday weight: How to maintain, not gain
  52. How the right diet can help an overactive bladder
  53. Takeout containers
  54. Is there more to hydration than water?
  55. Juicing is no substitute for whole foods
  56. Juicing
  57. Depression and diet
  58. Limit bad fats, one step at a time
  59. Make food labels required reading
  60. Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
  61. MUFAs
  62. Multigrain vs. whole grain
  63. Need a snack? Go nuts!
  64. Need more fiber? Take 3 steps
  65. Nutrition Facts label
  66. Nutrition rules that will fuel your workout
  67. Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health
  68. Omega-3 in fish
  69. Omega-6 fatty acids
  70. Phenylalanine
  71. Play it safe when taking food to a loved one in the hospital
  72. Protein: Heart-healthy sources
  73. Reduce sugar in your diet
  74. Health foods
  75. Portion control
  76. Planning healthy meals
  77. High-fiber diet
  78. Social eating can be healthy and enjoyable
  79. Sodium
  80. Sodium: Look beyond the saltshaker
  81. Stevia
  82. Tap water or bottled water: Which is better?
  83. Taurine in energy drinks
  84. The best foods for healthy skin
  85. Time to cut back on caffeine?
  86. Time to scale back on salt?
  87. Trans fat
  88. Underweight: Add pounds healthfully
  89. Want a healthier dinnertime? Science says change your eating space
  90. Daily water requirement
  91. Functional foods
  92. What is clean eating?
  93. What's considered moderate alcohol use?
  94. What's the difference between juicing and blending?
  95. Why does diet matter after bariatric surgery?
  96. Working out? Remember to drink up
  97. Yerba mate