art.1/ nutrition 101: my simple guide to FAT

Written By Sara Petersson
 

Summary

  • Fat is essential for life

  • Most people get enough fat without effort

  • When practical, choose more unsaturated fats

  • Omega-3 fats are essential, and the most reliable sources are fish or algae oils

  • Reducing fat everywhere can backfire. Fat supports nutrition and enjoyment

  • Equally, there’s no need to deliberately eat very high-fat diets; even those rich in “healthy” fats can negatively affect cardiovascular health

 

Did you know that fat is increasingly recognised as the sixth basic taste (after sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami)? This is because fat acts as a flavour carrier. When a meal is very low in fat or fat-free, it often carries less flavour, which can reduce enjoyment and satisfaction when eating.

Fat itself isn’t “good” or “bad”. Yet I often see our culture swinging between extremes. One minute we’re buying fat-free everything; the next, we’re piling seeds on tahini on avocado on a slice of bacon, all with a side of bulletproof coffee. If you’re unfamiliar, bulletproof coffee is black coffee blended with butter and is commonly used by people following ketogenic diets.

Putting fun facts and trends aside, fat is essential for survival. It plays a vital role in brain and nervous system function, hormone and signalling molecule production, and many other processes. Fat is also required to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, all of which are essential for health in their own right.

Some key facts about fat:

  • Public health guidance suggests fat should provide no more than around 35% of daily energy intake

  • Regardless of source (whether avocado or bacon), fat provides the same number of calories per gram

  • High intakes of certain fats (particularly trans fats and saturated fats) are linked with poorer cardiovascular health

  • Unsaturated fats can help offset some of these negative effects when they replace saturated and trans fats

 An interesting phenomenon: the French paradox

The French paradox refers to the observation that the French population historically experienced relatively low rates of coronary heart disease, in contrast to the UK or the US, despite diets higher in saturated fat. The term was popularised by Serge Renaud and Michel de Lorgeril in a 1992 paper in The Lancet, suggesting that overall dietary patterns and lifestyle factors, rather than saturated fat alone, influence cardiovascular risk. Later analyses, including one from Artaud-Wild et al. (1993), supported this theory, highlighting the importance of food context and culture.

Types of dietary fats

Saturated fats

  • Non-essential

  • Sources: meat, dairy, coconut oil, palm oil

Trans fats

  • Non-essential

  • Sources: small amounts in meat and dairy; higher amounts in hydrogenated oils and deep-fried foods

Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs)

  • Non-essential

  • Sources: olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds

Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs)

Omega-6

  • Essential

  • Sources: vegetable oils (soybean, sunflower), nuts, seeds, eggs, poultry, meat

  • Most people consume enough omega-6 without trying

Omega-3

  • Essential

  • Sources: fish, fish oils, algae, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, soybeans, rapeseed and hemp oils

  • Plant omega-3 (ALA) is a precursor to EPA and DHA, the forms directly involved in heart, brain, and eye health.

  • Conversion from ALA to EPA and DHA is inefficient, which is why oily fish or fish oil is often recommended. Algae-based supplements, like this one, are a suitable alternative for vegetarian and vegan diets.

  • EPA and DHA are especially important for the healthy development of a child’s brain, eyes, and nervous system.

Our bodies are remarkably adaptable. We can make fat from carbohydrates and protein and reuse fat from existing stores in our bodies. However, essential fatty acids cannot be made by the body and must come from the diet. These are later converted into important longer-chain fat structures: EPA, DHA (omega-3), and AA (omega-6) - though this process is relatively inefficient.

In simple terms

  • Fat is essential for life

  • Most people get enough fat without effort

  • When practical, choose more unsaturated fats

  • Omega-3 fats are essential, and the most reliable sources are fish or algae oils

  • Reducing fat everywhere can backfire — it supports nutrition and enjoyment

  • Equally, there’s no need to deliberately eat very high-fat diets; even those rich in “healthy” fats can negatively affect cardiovascular health

When it comes to feeding ourselves and our families, balance matters more than extremes. Fat supports growth, development, flavour, and satisfaction, and works best as part of a varied and flexible diet. Rather than chasing trends, start with food that tastes good, feels satisfying, and fits realistically into everyday family life. From there, the nutrition can follow.

 
 

Abbreviations

MUFA – Monounsaturated fatty acids

PUFA – Polyunsaturated fatty acids

ALA – Alpha-linolenic acid

EPA – Eicosapentaenoic acid

DHA – Docosahexaenoic acid

Omega-3 – Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-6 – Omega-6 fatty acids

AA – Arachidonic acid

 
Sara Petersson