fat and sugar intake

Question
QUESTION: Hi. Can you tell me how many grams of fat and sugar a person should have each day? Thanks

ANSWER: Hello Danielle!

Thank you for your nutrition question. Actually you don't need any sugar in your diet. Sugars are carbohydrates, of which 300g are recommended in a 2000 calorie diet -- but not all of your carbohydrates should be sugars! Only a fraction should be sugars, if any. Refined sugars are completely unneeded and provide only calories from a nutritional perspective -- they can be eliminated. So 0 grams of refined sugars are recommended in a day. Fruits contain a large amount of natural sugars, which are less rapidly absorbed. In addition, fruit offers a number of other nutritional benefits as well, so a portion of your 300g of carbohydrates should be sugars from fruit, since fruit should be included in one's diet.

Assuming you're trying to lose weight, try to shoot for 30-35 grams of fat a day, it may take a few weeks to discipline yourself down to that but it works. It generally is figured as a percentage of your daily caloric intake, which varies with your age, sex, and activity level. Additionally, you should pay attention to the type of fat, avoiding saturated fats, and getting your allotment mostly in unsaturated (mostly vegetable) fats and fish oils. The new USDA Food Pyramid is a pretty good and workable guide, unlike the old ones. Go to MyPyramid.gov

Hope this helps!  For more answers to your nutrition questions check out www.planetyorgos.com or www.eatrightbygeorge.com

-George Rapitis, MS
www.juiceblend.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Actually, I am looking to maintain my weight, not loose any. So, would 30-35 grams of fat a day, still be accurate? Also, I was referring to sugar in foods like cookies, cake, etc. Is that considered refined sugar? What should the daily limit be on that? I've also heard that the fat to calorie ratio in foods should be 3 grams of fat per 100 calories. Is that true? Thanks

Answer
Dear Danielle,

   Eating 30-35 grams of fat a day would be accurate since you are trying to lose weight.  Cookies and cakes are examples of refined sugars so you want to limit these to a small oatmeal cookie a day. Your fat to calorie ratio should be 3grams of fat per 100 calories in other words 30 percent of your calories should come from fat.  Preferably healthy fats such as olive oil and omega-3 from nuts and fish.  

-George

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