Nutrient glossary
What is fat?
Fat is an essential macronutrient for hormones, cell membranes and absorbing vitamins A, D, E and K.
Reviewed 20 July 2026. General information, not medical advice.
The short version
Fat is not one nutrient but several. Unsaturated fats, the kind in olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado and oily fish, support heart health when they replace saturated fat. Saturated fat, mostly from fatty meat, butter and coconut oil, is the type evidence says to keep moderate. Trans fat is worth avoiding entirely.
Some vitamins only dissolve in fat, so very low-fat eating can quietly cut vitamin A, D, E and K absorption even when the diet looks good on paper.
Daily reference (context, not a goal)
97 g a day
The reference keeps total fat at or under 35% of energy: about 97 g a day at 2,500 kcal, with saturated fat capped separately.
This is the fixed adult reference used across these pages. In the app, your amount adjusts to your body and way of eating.
Where fat concentrates
| Food | Per serving | Per 100g |
|---|---|---|
| Sausage (pork) | 31 g | 28 g |
| Macadamia Nuts | 21 g | 76 g |
| Pizza (cheese) | 21 g | 10 g |
| Pecans | 20 g | 72 g |
| Salmon Fillet | 20 g | 13 g |
| Mackerel | 20 g | 18 g |
| Walnuts | 18 g | 65 g |
| Ribeye Steak | 18 g | 12 g |
Shown for awareness: the reference for fat is a stay-under or context amount, so this table is about knowing where it lives, not chasing more of it.
Common questions
- Is fat bad for you?
- No. The type matters: unsaturated fats from plants and fish are protective, saturated fat should stay moderate, and industrial trans fat is the one to avoid.
- Why does Nutrigate track fat as a stay-under amount?
- Because the evidence-based guidance is an upper share of energy (35%), not a floor. The app flags fat only when you go over.