MSU Extension

Whether you are shopping for food, planning weekly menus, or cooking a meal Michigan State University Extension recommends reading the nutrition facts label that allows you to compare different foods and their nutritional values. Food labels provide specific key nutrient information, including grams of fat. Understanding the amount of fat and other nutrients in the foods you eat each day is important, however most Americans are unfamiliar with grams, a metric measurement of weight.

The food label lists the total amount of fat in one serving and includes all types of fat specific to that food item; saturated fats, trans fat and unsaturated fats. Each individual type of fat is calculated in grams. Adding up the number of fat grams you consume throughout a day helps ensure you are staying within daily recommendations. The percent daily value for total fat, listed in the footnote below the nutrition facts, recommends consuming less than 65 total grams of fat per day. More specifically, a person following a 2,000 calorie food plan should consume less than 20 grams of saturated fat per day.

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Though adding fat grams is an accurate way to track the daily intake, many consumers may not be acquainted with this metric measurement, making it difficult to visualize and comprehend the amount of fat in the foods they eat and drink. Converting fat grams into a more recognizable measurement, such as teaspoons may be a beneficial tool for understanding high fat foods and their association with heart health. To convert fat grams into teaspoons use a simple equation:

Fats: 4 grams equals 1 teaspoon

To be more precise the measurement is 4.2 grams, but rounding to 4 makes the math conversion easier. To convert grams of fat into teaspoons, simply divide by four. The following chart provides an example.

Serving Size: 4 ounces

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Total fat: 20 grams

(20 grams divided by 4 = 5 teaspoons)

Saturated Fat: 8 grams

(8 grams divided by 4 = 2 teaspoons)

If you eat two servings (or eight ounces) of the food item in the example, double the amounts.

Serving Size: 4 ounces

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2 servings 4 x 2 = 8 ounces

Total fat: 20 grams or 5 teaspoons

2 servings = 40 grams or 10 teaspoons

Saturated fat: 8 grams or 2 teaspoons

2 servings = 16 grams or 4 teaspoons

Being mindful of the amount of fat that you eat each day and throughout the week is made a little easier when you visualize fat in individual teaspoons. Arm yourself with the skills necessary to read and understand the nutrition facts label. Health really does matter.

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