Fats are the largest energy supplier of the three macros (carbohydrates and proteins provide 4 kcal per gram). One gram of fat consists of 9 kilocalories. Foods usually consist of a combination of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.
SATURATED FATS
Saturated fats are unhealthy fats and are commonly found in animal products such as butter, margarine, coconut and palm oil, whole milk products and cheese (48+), fatty (red) meat, fatty meats and sausages, biscuits, chocolate, pastries and snacks. . Saturated fats increase bad cholesterol (LDL), which increases the risk of clogged blood vessels and therefore increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The advice is therefore to get a maximum of 10% of your entire daily calories from saturated fats. This means that a woman who consumes 2,000 kilocalories per day should not consume more than 22 grams of saturated fat. For a man who eats an average of 2,500 kilocalories per day, this amounts to a maximum of 28 grams (Nutrition Center, 2022). Below are some examples of products with the amount of saturated fat indicated in grams.
| Examples | Grams |
| 1 slice of brown or whole wheat bread | 0,14 g |
| 1 slice of white bread | 0,2 g |
| 1 glass of semi-skimmed milk | 2,3 g |
| 2 eggs | 3,2 g |
| 1 glass of whole milk | 3,3 g |
| 1 slice 30+ cheese | 3,6 g |
| 1 croissant | 4,4 g |
| Pork (100 g) | 5,2 g |
| 1 Pork slice 48+ cheese | 5,9 g |
| 100 g minced meat | 6 g |
| 1 pre-cut slice of 48+ cheese | 6 g |
| Hamburger (100 g) | 7,5 g |
| 1 portion of butter (tablespoon) | 8 g |
| 1 portion of coconut oil (tablespoon) | 12 g |
| Pizza salami (350 g) | 13,3 g |
| 100 g bacon | 14 g |
Table 1: Examples of serving sizes of saturated fats
UNSATURATED FATS
Unsaturated fats can be divided into monounsaturated (mono) and polyunsaturated (poly) fatty acids. Unsaturated fats are healthy fats and give a feeling of satiety and take away the feeling of hunger. Monounsaturated fats are mainly found in olives, olive oil, peanuts, avocado and most nuts. You should consume at least 10% unsaturated fats of your entire daily energy intake. It is recommended to consume polyunsaturated fats in particular. Think of eggs, nuts and seeds, semi-skimmed or low-fat dairy, oily fish, olive oil, sesame oil and avocado.
Polyunsaturated fats are the healthiest fats and are the omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 6 fatty acids are found in vegetable oils such as sunflower oil, corn oil and soy oil, but also in margarine, low-fat margarine and cooking fats.
Figure 2: Classification of fatty acids (Fats | Healthy Living)
Omega
There are also omega 9 fatty acids, an unsaturated fatty acid. Omega 9 is a monounsaturated fatty acid. The most important omega 9 fatty acids are olive oil, nuts, nut oil and avocados.
Of the entire daily fat intake, the polyunsaturated fat portion may consist of 5.3-10%. Products with omega 3 fatty acids are fish, crustaceans and shellfish. Omega-3 is also found in the products rapeseed oil, walnuts, soy oil, olive oil and vegetable margarines. These omega 3 fats provide protection against cardiovascular disease. The recommended amount for women is 2 grams of omega 3 per day, for men this is 3 grams of omega 3.
Below are some examples of meals and portions, showing the amount of omega 3 fats in grams.
| Daypart | Examples | Portions | Omega 3 fats |
| Breakfast | Tablespoon of peanut butter on the sandwich. Almond milk with oatmeal. | 200 tablespoon + 1 slice of bread, 200 ml almond milk plus +- 40 grams, oatmeal | 100 g peanut butter = 17 g, 200 ml almond milk = 0.6 g |
| Snack | A handful of nuts, cashews, hazelnuts (unsalted), almonds. | +- One handful of walnuts | 100 g = 9 g |
| Lunch | Half avocado on a sandwich. Salad with tablespoon of olive oil or nuts and avocado. | ½ avocado + small, hand of nuts | 100 g = 80 mg |
| Dinner | Use olive oil for frying foods. | 1 tablespoon of olive oil (15 ml) | 195 mg |
Tabel 2: Voorbeelden porties en maaltijden