In this series, we have been looking at the three building blocks of everything we eat. We started with the big picture, then took a closer look at carbohydrates. Today we are talking about the one that tends to get the worst reputation: fat.

Fat has been blamed for a lot over the years, but it plays some important jobs in your body. Let's look at what it is, what it does, and where you find it.

What is fat?

Fat is the most concentrated source of energy in food. Gram for gram, it provides more than twice the energy of carbohydrates or protein. It is also a big part of what gives food its flavour, richness, and texture.

Fats in food come in a few different types, and you will often hear them grouped like this:

  • Unsaturated fats: usually liquid at room temperature. Found in olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like salmon.
  • Saturated fats: usually solid at room temperature. Found in butter, cheese, cream, fatty cuts of meat, and coconut oil.

Health guidance generally encourages getting more of your fat from unsaturated sources, while still recognizing that all of these foods can have a place in how people eat.

What does fat do for your body?

  • Long-lasting energy. Fat is your body's most efficient way of storing energy for later.
  • Helps absorb certain vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E, and K need fat in order to be absorbed properly.
  • Builds your cells. Fat is part of the membrane around every cell in your body.
  • Supports hormones. Your body uses fat as a building block for some hormones.
  • Cushions and protects. Fat helps protect your organs and keeps your body insulated.
  • Helps you feel satisfied. Fat slows digestion a little, which is part of why a meal with some fat in it tends to feel more filling.

Your body can make most of the fats it needs, but there are a couple of types, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, that it cannot make on its own. These have to come from food.

Where do you find it?

  • Oils, butter, and margarine
  • Nuts, seeds, and nut butters
  • Avocado and olives
  • Fatty fish like salmon, trout, and sardines
  • Eggs
  • Cheese, cream, whole milk, and yogurt
  • Meat, especially fattier cuts, plus the skin on poultry
  • Baked goods, fried foods, and many packaged snacks

Fat is also easy to miss. A drizzle of oil on vegetables, butter in mashed potatoes, the dripping that turns into gravy, and the crust on a pumpkin pie all add fat to a meal without looking like much.

Your Thanksgiving plate

Think back over today's meal. The butter in the potatoes, the gravy, the cream in a sauce or dessert, and the pie crust are all bringing fat to the table. The turkey skin too. It is part of why a holiday meal feels so rich and satisfying.

A few questions to sit with

  • Where does fat show up in your usual day of eating?
  • Does most of it come from foods like oils, nuts, fish, and avocado, or more from fried and packaged foods?
  • Do you tend to skip fat altogether at some meals, or notice how it affects how full you feel?

There are no right or wrong answers here. It is simply about noticing what is on your plate.

Coming up next

In our final post of this series, we will look at protein: what it is made of, what it does in your body, and where you find it.

This post is general education and is not a substitute for personal medical or nutrition advice. If you have a health condition or specific dietary needs, please speak with your healthcare provider.