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| By Ng Hooi Lin |
| Nutritionist, Singapore Heart Foundation |
| 请点击：揭开脂肪之谜 |
| What comes first to mind when a nutritionist tells you to eat less fat? Many think they should get rid of fat completely – from the diet and from the body – to become healthier. For a long time, fats have received a lot of bad press; however they are essential in maintaining good health. Believe it or not, we just couldn’t live without fats. |
| We need fat! |
| Fat is an important source of energy! Without fat in the body, we will find it impossible to keep our body warm and protect our internal organs. Without fat in our diet, our body is unable to absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, D, E and K. What’s more, dietary fat supplies us with essential fatty acids that cannot be produced in the body. Fats give us a sense of fullness and satisfaction after meals. |
| How much fat do I need in my diet? |
| You definitely need a certain amount of fat in your diet for the body to function properly. What is your daily fat budget? A 35-year-old, 65-kg man engaging in light activity requires no more than 69g of fat in a day, whereas a woman in the same age and weight category needs no more than 57g of fat. |
| Did you know that a plate of plain fried bee hoon (5g fat) in the morning, a plate of char kway teow (38g fat) in the afternoon and a plate of chicken nasi briyani (35g fat) at night will provide you with a total of 78g of fat in a day? |
| We have been told to eat less fat simply because we are eating too much of it! As a rule of thumb, we recommend restricting dietary fat to about 25-30% of our total energy intake. Hence, if one follows a 2000 kcal diet, one requires 500-600 kcal (25-30% of total intake) a day and therefore 55-65g of fat a day (1g of fat = 9 kcal). |
| The type of fat you eat matters |
| Fat is the most concentrated source of energy (calories) and eating a lot of fat can lead to overweight and obesity. Of course, the type of fat you eat matters – eating too much saturated fat can increase the cholesterol level in your blood and in the long run, this raises your risk of developing heart disease. |
| Related Articles |
| Saturated Fat: Low, Lower, Lowest! |
| Get your fats right: Unsaturated Fat |
| Trans fat in foods |
| Conquering cholesterol |
| Back to Nutrition Tips |
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