Fats & oils

Fats and oils are pure energy: at roughly nine calories per gram, they're more than twice as calorie-dense as protein or carbohydrate, which is why a splash of oil transforms a dish's numbers. But quantity is only half the story — the type of fat is what nutrition science cares about most.

Oils rich in unsaturated fats, such as olive, canola and most seed oils, are the ones associated with better heart health; olive oil in particular carries the antioxidants behind the Mediterranean diet's reputation. Saturated fats — concentrated in butter, coconut oil, lard and ghee — are more solid at room temperature and are recommended in more moderate amounts. The fats to genuinely limit are industrial trans fats, now removed from most products.

Every fat and oil here is listed per 100 g. Because they're so concentrated, remember that real-world servings are usually a teaspoon or tablespoon — use the gram scaler on each page to see realistic amounts.