How Much Fat Should You Eat Per Day?

I’ve started to learn there are a variety of advantages to closely monitoring your caloric intake beyond the basic “how much food have I eaten today….”

There’s a bias against fat in our society. Everyone shouts the no-fat or low-fat mantra. But, after taking a few weeks to understand my daily calorie distribution, I’ve learned the whole bias against fat is wrong-headed. It’s entirely off base. The eating habits that led me to lose nearly 60 lbs, and keep it off for over four years, have included consuming an average of 20–30% of my daily calories from fat. So, how much fat should I (or you) eat each day?

How Much Fat Should You Eat Per Day?

We tend to think of this question as “grams of fat per day” It doesn’t make much sense, but it has to do with the media’s presentation of the number. But, after taking some time to use an online nutritional calculator, I’ve figured out that the bias against fat is nothing more than a simple bunk. The only reasonable explanation is that fat contains more calories per gram than either protein or carbohydrates.

However, that doesn’t make fat inherently evil. Fat is necessary for proper human nutrition. And, for those who say that cutting fat is required for weight loss, I’ll submit my journey in weight loss as a testament to the fact that it’s simply not true. Couple my experience with the most recent review of my eating habits, showing that calories rule regarding weight loss. Maybe not for optimal health or the best performance at a given activity, but your calorie count when it comes to losing weight.

So, back to my original question. How much fat should you eat per day? Rather than think about this in terms of grams, I’m going to look at it from a “percentage of daily calories.” Most of what I’ve found suggests an optimal amount is 20–30% of total daily calories. I hit that number by accident. I’ve…