A Matter of Fat
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Fat Facts!
- We need to eat fat to stay healthy
- Fat has "essential fatty acids" - found only in the foods we eat
- Fat is important for normal growth and development of children
- Our body needs fat to absorb vitamin A, D, E, K
- Fat adds taste and enjoyment to food
- Eating too much fat is linked with higher risk of heart disease, obesity and some types of cancer
- Many foods contain a mixture of different types of fat.
- All foods contain fat, animal or vegetables, and have a
mixture of different types of fat
- Lower-fat meals are delicious and easy to prepare. Try Eating Light for recipe ideas!
Did you know?
- The largest amount of fat in the Canadian diet comes from fats and oils, which include butter/margarine, mayonnaise/salad dressings, and fat used for frying.
- Only 7% of the fat in the Canadian diet comes from fresh meat like beef, pork, veal and lamb. Reference.
- Trimmed of fat - either before or after cooking - beef is lean.*
- On average, almost half the total fat in 100 grams of raw lean ground beef (about the size of a deck of cards) is monounsaturated. This fat is known to increase "good blood cholesterol". For more information, visit ground beef.
Find out how lean and extra lean ground beef qualify for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada's Health Check™ program.
For nutrients in specific beef cuts, visit Nutrient Data.
* Per 100 g raw beef, trimmed of external fat (composite of 26 cuts): 162 Calories, 21 g protein, 8 g fat, 0 g carbohydrate
% Daily Value: 110% vitamin B12, 60% zinc, 45% niacin, 35% selenium, 15% iron, 15% vitamin D, 15% riboflavin, 15% vitamin B6, 15% phosphorous, 10% pantothenate, 10% thiamine, 10% magnesium, 9% potassium
