Pure curiosity, and the title is pretty much my question. I’ve noticed that nutritional labels (USA) say something like 0g of trans fat, 10g of saturated fat (50% daily value)… but then it lists the total fat as 20g and only 26% of the daily value. 50% obviously doesn’t equal 26% and 10g doesn’t equal 20g so it must mean there are way more types of fat out there than trans and saturated?
If there are other fats, why do labels not provide a breakdown of the others? Why are saturated fats special enough to be listed?
Thanks!
In: Other
Saturated fats and trans fats are specifically mentioned because they’re involved in clogging up your arteries, causing high blood pressure and all sorts of things you don’t want.
The other kind of fats, unsaturated fats (typically divided into monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats) are not really bad for you (in moderation). In fact, your body needs fatty acids to survive and of your total caloric intake about 20-30% should come from fat (which isn’t a whole lot since fat is incredibly calorie dense. 9 calories per gram as opposed to 4 per gram for carbohydrates and protein).
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