Fat is a necessary part of a healthy diet. It is found in some foods like nuts, oils, butter, and meats like beef. Fat is not a bad food. Instead of avoiding fat, you should try to include a little bit of fat at each meal. Dietary fat provides the most calories compared to protein foods and carbohydrate foods. You, as a kid, especially need a certain amount of fat in your diet so that your brain and nervous system develop correctly. Fat also helps protect your organs and helps your body absorb essential vitamins!

Are all fats created equal?

No. There are two main types of fat, saturated and unsaturated.

Limit saturated fat.

This type of fat is found mostly in animal products:

red meat (hamburger, hot dog, bacon, sausage, bologna)

butter

chicken fingers or other fried chicken

ice cream

baked goods (cookies, pastries, cake)

high-fat dairy products (full-fat cheese, ice cream, whole milk, 2% milk, sour cream)

ranch dressing

chocolate or candy bars

french fries

cream sauces

gravy made with meat drippings

Foods from the saturated fat group are NOT your best choice, but they are okay to eat every now and then.

Eat more unsaturated fat.

This type of fat is found mostly in plant products and fish:

avocado

olive oil and olives

canola oil

safflower oil

peanut butter and peanut oil

nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, peanuts)

pumpkin or sunflower seeds

baked fish (tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel)

soft tub margarine

homemade salad dressing (olive oil and vinegar)

sesame seeds

mayonnaise

tofu and other soybean products

Unsaturated fat is considered a healthy fat and you should eat it more often than saturated fat.

   

Source: Kids health for kids: Learning about Fat, www.kidshealth.org/kid/nutrition/food/fat.html

Reviewed by Kathy Hosig, Ph.D., associate professor, Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise.

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