Because some dietary fats are potentially helpful and others potentially harmful to your health, it pays to know which ones you’re eating and whether you’re meeting national recommendations. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans offer recommendations about dietary fat intake.
Here’s a look at the recommendations and common sources of each type of dietary fat. Be aware that many foods contain different kinds of fat and varying levels of each type. For example, butter contains unsaturated fats, but a large percentage of the total fat is saturated fat. And canola oil has a high percentage of monounsaturated fat but also contains smaller amounts of polyunsaturated and saturated fat.