Nutrition Information for 1 Tablespoon of Various Fats[1]
Calories
|
Fat
(g)
|
Saturated
fat
(g)
|
Mono-
unsaturated
fat
(g)
|
Poly-unsaturated
fat
(g)
|
Trans
fat (g)
|
|
Coconut oil
|
121
|
13.5
|
11.2
|
0.9
|
0.2
|
0
|
Butter
|
102
|
11.5
|
7.3
|
3.0
|
0.4
|
0.5
|
Palm oil
|
120
|
13.6
|
6.7
|
5.0
|
1.3
|
|
Chicken fat
|
115
|
12.8
|
3.8
|
5.8
|
2.7
|
|
Margarine
|
100
|
11.2
|
2.3
|
5.3
|
3.1
|
2.8
|
Peanut oil
|
119
|
13.5
|
2.3
|
6.2
|
4.3
|
|
Soybean oil
|
120
|
13.6
|
2.1
|
3.1
|
7.9
|
1.2
|
Vegetable oil
|
120
|
13.6
|
2.1
|
3.1
|
7.8
|
0.1
|
Olive oil
|
119
|
13.5
|
1.8
|
9.9
|
1.4
|
|
Avocado oil
|
124
|
14
|
1.6
|
9.9
|
1.9
|
|
Sunflower oil
|
120
|
13.6
|
1.3
|
6.2
|
5.5
|
|
Canola oil
|
124
|
14
|
1.0
|
8.9
|
3.9
|
0.1
|
Safflower oil
|
120
|
13.6
|
0.8
|
2.0
|
10
|
Here we
have it…the nutrition content of common fats. Fats and oils are all around 120
calories per tablespoon. You will notice that butter is lower. That is because
butter is a water-in-oil emulsion, and the water content does not contribute
calories.
The main nutritional difference
between the other fats is the proportion of saturated, monounsaturated,
polyunsaturated, and trans fats. Excessive intake of saturated fat and trans
fat is associated with heart problems, while unsaturated fats are beneficial to
our heart health.
One easy way to tell if a fat is
high in saturated fat is if it is solid at room temperature. All fats that are
solid at room temperature have higher content of saturated fat. The first five fats
on the list are solid at room temperature, and their saturated fat content is
the highest of the fats on the list.
One surprising fact is that there
are two vegetable fats on this list that are high in saturated fat. Many times
we think that if something is from a plant it is automatically better for us. Yet,
based on the saturated fat content, there are other fats that are better for
our heart health.
Another easy trap to fall into is
the health aura that surrounds some plant foods. The fact that a food is a
plant and has nutrients in it that are healthy for us is not a good enough
reason to eat as much as we desire. A great example of this is the avocado. The
avocado is a fruit that is high in many vitamins and minerals. Additionally, it
is high in monounsaturated fats. Yet, because of that, it is definitely a
high-fat food—75% of its calories are from fat. A whole avocado can have
220-370 calories! While definitely a healthy choice of a fat source, it is
important to remember about portion sizes. As a reference point, a half cup of
avocado cubes is about 120 calories. Next time you are making a salad, measure
it out with a measuring cup…you may be in for a surprise!
[1]
USDA Food Composition Databases. United States Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service. Accessed October 11, 2017. < https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list>
Cool to see there's not much difference!
ReplyDeleteSome of the differences are subtle. Some are clearly higher in saturated fat, though.
ReplyDeleteWhy are monounsaturated fats not good for you?
DeleteMonounsaturated fats are a healthy fat. Yet, they are a fat, so they contribute 9 calories per gram. (Compare that to protein and carbohydrates which are only calories per gram.) Too much fat in a meal often takes the meal from being within appropriate calorie levels to a meal that is too high in calories.
DeleteEvery so often, I like to binge on veggies. I like to eat cucumbers, peppers, corn, and lots of tomatoes. Do you think this eating habit is ok, or are these foods considered fatty?
ReplyDelete