Fats — Not Just Allowed, Essential
Fats — Not Just Allowed, Essential
For years, “fat-free” was marketed as healthy. Yet your body needs fat every single day — not just for energy but to build hormones, protect organs, and absorb essential vitamins.
The key is choosing the right types of fat and eating them in balanced amounts.
What you’ll learn
- Why your body genuinely needs dietary fat
- The difference between healthy and unhealthy fats
- How fat supports hormones, brain function, and vitamin absorption
- How including the right fats can help reduce total calorie intake
Deep dive
Why fat matters
Fat provides more than double the calories of carbs or protein — about 9 kcal (38 kJ) per gram versus 4 kcal (17 kJ) for the others. That doesn’t make it bad; it simply means small portions go a long way.
Your body relies on fat for:
- Hormone production, including oestrogen and testosterone
- Brain and nerve health, since about 60 % of your brain is fat-based
- Cell membranes, which rely on healthy fatty acids to stay flexible
- Absorbing vitamins A, D, E and K, which dissolve only in fat
Without enough fat, these systems start to falter — energy dips, hormones shift, and mood or focus often suffer.
Types of fat
| Type | Found in | Role / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monounsaturated | Olive oil, avocados, nuts | Heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory |
| Polyunsaturated (omega-3 & omega-6) | Oily fish, flax, chia, walnuts, sunflower oil | Essential fats the body can’t make; supports brain, eyes, and heart |
| Saturated | Butter, cheese, coconut, fatty meat | Fine in small amounts; too much can raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol |
| Trans fats | Hydrogenated oils, some baked or fried foods | Artificial; avoid whenever possible |
How much fat?
Aim for fat to make up roughly 25–35 % of total daily calories. That’s around 55–75 g per day for someone eating 2 000 kcal (8 400 kJ) — or about 2–2½ oz of fat per day.
A practical guide:
- Cooking oils or butter: about 1 tablespoon ≈ 10 g (⅓ oz) per person per meal
- Nuts and seeds: a small handful ≈ 25–30 g (1 oz) — enough for a snack or salad topping
- Avocado or oily fish: 20–25 g (¾–1 oz) of fat in a typical palm-sized portion
These small servings are plenty to cover your essential needs.
Fat and fullness
Adding a little fat to meals helps you stay satisfied. Fat slows how quickly food leaves the stomach and enhances flavour, making meals feel more indulgent without extra portions. Pairing fat with vegetables also boosts absorption of fat-soluble vitamins — olive-oil dressing on salad genuinely makes it healthier.
Here’s the counterintuitive part:
Including modest amounts of healthy fat can lower your total calorie intake over the day. Meals with a bit of fat — like olive oil on vegetables or full-fat yoghurt with breakfast — keep you full for hours, reducing the urge to snack later. So while fat is calorie-dense gram for gram, the right kind in the right portion often leads to fewer calories eaten overall.
A drizzle is good; half a bottle of oil isn’t.
Choosing well
- Prioritise: olive oil, oily fish, avocados, nuts, seeds.
- Limit: processed fried foods, pastries, and large amounts of butter or cream.
- Cook smart: grill, bake, or roast instead of deep-frying.
- Balance omega-3 and omega-6: eat oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines) twice a week.
A simple weekly target is two portions (about 100 g / 3½ oz each) of oily fish, plus small daily portions of plant-based fats.
The yoghurt trap
Many people reach for “low-fat” yoghurt thinking it’s the healthier choice, but removing fat often means manufacturers add sugar or starch to keep the creamy texture. That sugar drives up blood glucose and insulin — the very thing we’re trying to avoid.
The exception is plain strained yoghurt (like Greek yoghurt or Skyr), which is naturally thick and high in protein without added sugar. Choose plain 0 % or 2 % versions for everyday use.
Full-fat (5–10 %) Greek yoghurt is also fine — just be mindful of portion size, since it’s richer in calories. A small 100–150 g (½ cup) serving is plenty.
Why this matters
Healthy fats support hormone balance, steady mood, glowing skin, and long-term heart and brain health. They also make healthy eating more enjoyable and sustainable. By keeping you fuller for longer, good fats actually help reduce overall calorie intake — proving that the goal isn’t to cut out fat, but to use it wisely.
Key point
- Fat is essential for hormones, brain, and vitamin absorption.
- Including modest amounts of healthy fat can reduce overall calorie intake.
- Choose mainly unsaturated fats and watch portion sizes.
- A little good fat makes food satisfying and helps every system in your body run smoothly.