The fats and oils food group includes high fat foods (e.g. nuts, seeds and avocado), as well as a wide variety of oils (both vegetable oils and sunflower oil, olive oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, linseed oil, canola oil and corn oil).
Oils are 100% fat content vs. high-fat foods which also contain some protein and carbohydrates. They all contain different levels of micronutrients and can form part of a healthy diet.
Nutritional Benefits of Fats and Oils
Most vegetable oils contain high amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and are a great addition to the daily diet. However, a few of them are high in saturated fat – e.g. coconut and palm oil – and should be used in moderation (although opinions are mixed on coconut oil).
Olives and avocados, although also a part of the vegetable food group (and fruit technically speaking) can be included in this food group as well due to their high amount of monounsaturated fatty acids.
Vegetable fats contain a lot of beneficial fatty acids but have to be used in moderation since they are a calorie dense food.
Daily Requirements
Daily requirements change rapidly between birth and 2 years of age, so we recommend you check out the age-specific meal plans for those ages.
| Age (years) | Men | Women |
| 2 – 3 | 3 teaspoons | 3 teaspoons |
| 4 – 8 | 4 teaspoons | 4 teaspoons |
| 9 – 13 | 5 teaspoons | 5 teaspoons |
| 14 – 18 | 6 teaspoons | 5 teaspoons |
| 19 – 30 | 7 teaspoons | 6 teaspoons |
| 31 – 50 | 6 teaspoons | 5 teaspoons |
| 51+ | 6 teaspoons | 5 teaspoons |
Portion Sizes
Check this out for a reference guide for how much of specific fats is meant by “1 teaspoon”.
