What Are Typical Fat Foods?

With obesity at an all-time high, along with the associated threats of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, more people are restricting the amount of fat in their diets. Experts recommend limiting fat intake to 20 to 35 percent of total calories consumed. At nine calories per gram, fats have more than twice the amount of calories found in other foods, but not all fats are created equal. A healthy diet includes foods containing moderate amounts of good fats and only minor amounts of bad fats.

Saturated Fats

• Saturated fats, usually derived from animal-based foods, are considered bad fats because they raise overall cholesterol levels. Foods containing significant amounts of saturated fats include steak, hamburgers, pizza, sausage, hot dogs, butter, bacon, shortening and full-fat dairy products like cheese, cream and whole milk. Saturated fats and trans fats are often called solid fats because they are solid at room temperature.

Trans Fats

• Some trans fats occur naturally in foods, especially those from animals, but most are unsaturated fats that have been processed for easier cooking and longer shelf life. Nutrition labels on packaged foods typically list trans fats as "partially hydrogenated" vegetable oils. Like saturated fats, trans fats are considered a bad fat. They raise bad cholesterol levels and lower good cholesterol levels, which can clog arteries and contribute to heart disease. Deep-fried foods like french fries, doughnuts and pastries may contain trans fats, as do margarine and many prepackaged foods, frozen dinners, dried sauce mixes, chips and packaged baked goods.

Monounsaturated Fats

• A moderate intake of monounsaturated fats can help reduce cholesterol levels, thereby also lowering the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. These "good" fats are found naturally in several foods, including olive, canola and peanut oils, as well as avocados, poultry, nuts and seeds. Usually liquid at room temperature, monounsaturated fats start to harden when refrigerated.

Polyunsaturated Fats

• So named because the molecule contains more than one unsaturated carbon, polyunsaturated fats constitute another category of "good" fats that help lower cholesterol levels. Foods containing these fats include poultry, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils like safflower, corn, flax-seed, sunflower and soybean oils. Most significant of the polyunsaturated fats are the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are found in flax seeds, walnuts and oily fish like salmon, tuna, trout, sardines and mackerel. The omega oils promote brain function and healthy cell development. Polyunsaturated fats, unlike monounsaturated fats, always remain liquid.