We looked at protein from sources to calorie count a few weeks ago, and this week we continue looking at macronutrients, focusing on fat.
Most important takeaway from this blog is to remember fat doesn’t make you fat, excess calories lead to weight gain. Don’t be afraid of fats, from cooking to consuming, as it all goes towards a healthy and balanced diet. Fats help your body absorb nutrients, keep you warm and aid cell growth. Fats are essential.
So let’s get the groundwork right first: 1g of fat = 9 calories.
You can instantly see how energy dense fat is in comparison to protein, carbs or vegetables. And unlike protein where 200g of chicken doesn’t mean 200g of protein, typically 1g of pure fat is 1g of fat, totalling around 9 calories.
However, most fat based foods aren’t that simple to multiple 10g per 9 calories, such as peanut butter, where 10g of peanut butter is 59 calories, not 90 calories, as it’s not just calories but a combination of protein, carbs and fats.
Some examples of fat sources and approximate calories per 10g/ml:
10ml olive oil = 80 calories
10g of avocado = 16 calories
10g of peanut butter = 59 calories
10g of unsalted butter = 72 calories
10g of coconut oil = 85 calories
1 large whole egg = 80 calories
Don’t worry about how much fat is in your steak, but consider if you’re cooking with fats and then measure them in a nutritional calculator or journal if you track your foods.