Foods With Lots of Fat

A diet high in fats can lead to multiple health complications. However, high fat content does not necessarily mean that a food is unhealthy if consumed in a responsible amount. In fact, not consuming enough fat can be unhealthy, although saturated fats and trans fats should be avoided as much as possible.

Red Meat

• Red meats such as beef, pork, lamb and duck are high in fat. Especially notable is that they are high in saturated fats, which cause more health problems than unsaturated fats. According to Harvard University's School of Public Health, a six ounce porterhouse steak contains 44 grams of fat, 16 of those grams being saturated fat.

Nuts

• Nuts are, in general, high in fat. However, only a small percentage of that fat is saturated fat, which is detrimental to the heart. For example, 28 grams of peanuts contains 14 grams of fat, with only two of those being saturated fat.

Oils and Fried Foods

• Since oils are fats themselves, any foods made primarily of oils or foods cooked in oil will have a high level of fat. Foods like oil based salad dressings should be eaten in moderation, as they will be almost entirely fat. Foods fried in oil will retain some of that oil in addition to the fat they already have in them. This is especially relevant to meat or cheese, which are high in fat before frying.

Dairy

• Some dairy products are very high in fats, including saturated fat. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 100 grams of cheddar cheese contains 33 grams of fat. The USDA also lists 100 grams of heavy cream as containing 37 grams of fat. In both of these products, the fat is primarily saturated fat. Products such as these can add significant fat content to sauces and other recipes. However, not all dairy products have high amounts of fat. Skim milk, for example, has none.