Why aren specific amounts of fat listed for different ages and genders in the new Food Guide?
The general recommendation to include a small amount – 30 to 45 mL – of unsaturated fat ensures that the eating pattern will contain adequate amounts of essential fatty acids for all age and gender groups. This also helps to give consumers an understanding of the amount of fat that should be included in an eating pattern made up of mostly lower-fat foods. The Food Guide places emphasis on the types of fat to include in the diet, as the different types of dietary fats have differing effects on health. The recommended oils and fat include oils used for cooking, salad dressings, margarine, and mayonnaise, so they may already be a part of a person’s normal meal pattern.
