The amount of fat you should eat per day depends on your total daily calorie intake, age, activity level, and health goals. General guidelines are as follows:
- Total fat intake should be about 20% to 35% of your total daily calories. For example, on a 2,000-calorie diet, that translates to roughly 44 to 78 grams of fat per day
- Saturated fat should be limited to no more than 10% of daily calories, ideally less than 6% according to the American Heart Association. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this means no more than about 22 grams of saturated fat
- The World Health Organization recommends adults consume no more than 30% of their total energy from fat, with saturated fats below 10%, and trans fats below 1% of total energy intake. Emphasis is placed on consuming mostly unsaturated fats from plant sources and fish
- For weight loss, a fat intake of 0.5 to 1 gram per kilogram of body weight per day is suggested to avoid essential fatty acid deficiency. For example, a 68 kg (150 lbs) person would consume about 34 to 68 grams of fat daily
- Fat intake can be personalized using calculators that factor in your age, gender, weight, height, and activity level to estimate your total calorie needs and then calculate fat grams based on recommended percentages (usually around 30% of calories from fat)
Summary:
Type of Fat| Recommended Intake
---|---
Total Fat| 20-35% of daily calories (44-78g on 2,000 cal diet)
Saturated Fat| Less than 10% of calories (max ~22g on 2,000 cal diet), ideally
<6%
Trans Fat| Less than 1% of total calories
For Weight Loss| 0.5-1g/kg body weight per day
Focus on healthy fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in fish, nuts, seeds, and plant oils, while limiting saturated and trans fats from animal products and processed foods
. If you want a precise amount tailored to your personal metrics and goals, using an online fat intake calculator based on your calorie needs and activity level is recommended
