Figuring Fat Percentages
#180551 - 05/21/05 11:27 PM
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momof2
Reged: 07/27/04
Posts: 68
Loc: Belgium, but soon to be Maryland
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I think this is the right board for a question like this 
I see that we are supposed to keep our fat intake to under 25 percent of our diet. My question is how do you figure out the fat percentages in food? Many years ago, I never ate anything that had more than 3 grams of fat per 100 calories. Does this formula still hold true? Or is it more like 2.5 grams per hundred calories to keep under 25 percent? As you can see, I'm really confused  I really don't want to just add up the amount of fat I eat in a day, and figure it on that. I want to keep on top of my fat intake all through the day. I'm super-sensitive to fat, but I also realize I need some to be healthy. Anyway, any help in figuring out a simple formula would be much appreciated 
Thanks
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*Karyn* IBS D
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It's not too difficult when you know the formula - I do it in my head now in the grocery store.
1g of fat = 9 calories
so you want to make sure that of all the calories in the food, less than 25% is coming from fat (though I like to keep around 15%)
sooo.... say food X has 100 calories and 3g of fat.
3g of fat x 9 calories/g = 27
27 / 100 = 27% -- so that particular food would be too high fat to eat on its own, BUT should be ok if you were eating it with a low fat meal. (That is, you're watching the fat % of the whole meal, not each food).
so lets say the whole meal is 230 calories and a total of 4g fat
4x9=36/230=15.7% -- so that would be ok
Hope that helps! 
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Wow! Thanks. It is a little complicated, but I think with paractice it will come naturally, as it has for you. I do see what you mean about the whole meal should be taken in account, not each item, for figuring fat percentage. That makes it easier
Thanks!
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*Karyn* IBS D
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That's an interesting approach, Laurel. I don't figure the fat percentage of individual foods, but I don't ever eat anything with more than 5 grams of fat per serving. I'm very sensitive to fat and this seems to work well.
Also, I'm a FitDay addict (I have the PC version, which is AWESOME) so it keeps track of my overall fat percentage, which I like to keep below 10%.
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Elizabeth
all those years it wasn't IBS - it was celiac!
send me an email: liz@dopple.net
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Oh I've been so tempted to buy it [fitday pc] since they've put it on sale 30% off... but they're still not making it for Mac! 
Elizabeth - you keep your fat below 10%? I try to get mine between 10 and 15%... I worry that when I go lower I'm not getting enough healthy fats. I take evening primrose oil, which does have EFAs in it and I don't seem to have problems with that... do you take any EFAs? Just curious.
Edited by retrograde (05/22/05 10:35 AM)
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I let fitday calculate my fat percentage. It's really interesting because fat naturally exists in the food, i.e. to digest itself. Without adding fat, I average less than 15 percent fat intake. I find that even soy is too "fatty" for my sensitivity level. Fat naturally exists to some degree even in a banana or a carrot or some spinach or applesauce--whatever--and that natural fat is more than enough, i.e. plenty, for me. So, basically I'm consuming, over the course of a whole day an average of 12g fat. Fifteen grams is a really "high" fat day for me.
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10-15%
#180663 - 05/22/05 02:09 PM
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CindyC
Reged: 09/30/04
Posts: 90
Loc: Ohio, USA
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Wow, you guys really try to keep your fat percentage low. I only had one Tbls. of peanut butter today on half banana and that added 8 grams of fat!!! I did really well calorie wise, but that fat can getcha!
Do you keep the fat % low because of your IBS or because it helps you maintain your weight? I don't have a problem digesting "normal" fats such as some olive oil in salad dressing, but I absolutely cannot eat fried foods or I pay for it big time.
So I guess my question is, is 10-15% what I should be aiming for over the course of a day? I guess the turkey/chicken/portbello mushroom sausage I bought for dinner is probably not a good idea with 6% fat in each one since I already had the ONE Tbls. of peanut butter today. 
Cindy
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Yeah peanut butter adds a lot of fat
Personally I try to keep my fat % low for IBS not for weight loss and I think the same goes for Elizabeth. You don't need to have your fats that low if you're trying to lose weight. Heather recommends, for the IBS diet, keeping your fats below 20% *at each meal* but many people on these boards find that they feel better at even lower, i.e. 10-15%.
So, if you're ok (IBS-wise) with more, that's fine - don't worry about it if you're trying to lose weight. However if you're not stable yet, please make sure you are watching your fat intake as it's a huge factor of the diet. Definitely stay below 20% but maybe try dipping a little lower if you're still having troubles. (Look for low-fat peanut butter, too. 8g is a lot at one serving, especially if you didn't have much else with it!) It varies with everyone, the balance between how much fat we can tolerate and how much we need to feel healthy and satisfied. HTH.
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Re: 10-15%
#180671 - 05/22/05 04:37 PM
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Wind
Reged: 04/02/05
Posts: 3178
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I keep my fats that low because it helps my IBS. Personally, for me, any higher would cause an attack. Nutbutter would nail me. A drop of olive, flax, hemp oil would trigger an attack of spasms and D. I'm aching for a little avocado, but the last time I had it, it really went thru me too fast and had a day and a half kick back to it. I won't touch a salad dressing and make my own VINAigrettes--they are just that, vinegar based or raw juice based. I miss the days of eating raw nutbutter with a spoon!
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fat
#180687 - 05/22/05 06:03 PM
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I have been under the impression that a diet below 15% fat isn't so good for constipation and basic lubrication.  I do 15-20%. Is this inaccurate?
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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