Does Fat in Food Make You Fat

Updated on June 3, 2025

We’ve all heard it: “Fatty food makes you fat.” I’ve been told this since I was a teenager — and maybe you have too. But here’s the thing: fat in food does not automatically make you fat.

It all depends on the type of fat you’re eating.

Some fats are harmful, yes — but some are essential and actually good for your body. In this post, we’re diving deep into which fats to eat, which to limit, and whether fat really makes you gain weight.

Interesting Facts on Fats You Need to Know

Let’s clear one thing up: your body needs fat.
Fats are:

• A key source of energy
• Crucial for hormone production
• Essential for absorbing fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)

But of course—not all fats are equal.

When you eat more calories than your body needs, the extra energy (regardless of whether it comes from fat, carbs, or protein) is stored as fat—mainly in the form of triglycerides.

What Are Triglycerides?

Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. They come from:

• The fats you eat (e.g. butter, oil)
• Excess calories your body converts into fat

These triglycerides are stored in fat cells and released later when your body needs energy. They’re made of a molecule called glycerol plus three fatty acid chains (hence, tri-glyceride).

Types of Fat: Saturated vs Unsaturated

There are many types of triglycerides and the two main classes are saturated and unsaturated fat. The differentiation between the two is their chemical structure and properties.

You ought to know fat types matter more than fat itself.

• Saturated fat: Solid at room temp
  – Found in: butter, lard, full-fat dairy, red meat
• Unsaturated fat: Liquid at room temp
  – Found in: vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, fish

Unsaturated fats are further broken into:

• Polyunsaturated fats (e.g. omega-3s from fish)
• Monounsaturated fats (e.g. olive oil, avocados)

Is Saturated Fat Really That Bad?

Short answer: not all of it.

There are different types of saturated fats, and they behave differently in your body. Their impact depends on the length of their carbon chains:

• Short-chain fats: fewer than 6 carbon atoms
• Medium-chain fats: 6–12 carbon atoms
• Long-chain fats: 12–22 carbon atoms

Some very long-chain saturated fats have even been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

So no, not all saturated fats are the villain.

A study found participants who consumed very long-chain fatty acids were associated with decreased risk of type 2 diabetes. Besides the number of chains, an even or odd number of carbons in the chain is also important. The same study showed saturated fatty acids with an even number of carbons were associated with type 2 diabetes, while an odd number reduced the risk.

What Makes Unsaturated Fat “Healthy”?

Unsaturated fats have double bonds in their structure, which influences how they’re used and stored by the body.

• Monounsaturated fats: 1 double bond
• Polyunsaturated fats: 2–6 double bonds

They’re known to:

• Lower the risk of heart disease
• Improve cholesterol levels
• Reduce inflammation

Benefits of Healthy Fats

Healthy fats have numerous benefits for your body when included as part of a healthy balanced diet. 

Research has consistently shown that eating foods that contain monounsaturated fat can improve your blood cholesterol level and decrease your risk for cardiovascular disease. (1, 2, 3)

Polyunsaturated fats have also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and lowering blood cholesterol levels in researches. (1, 2, 3)

You ought to know polyunsaturated fats are essential fats meaning your body cannot make them and needs to get them from foods. Primary sources of this fat are plant-based oils, fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel, and seeds and nuts including sunflower seeds, flax seeds and walnuts.

Omega 3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat have been shown to be particularly beneficial for your heart. These fatty acids appear to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease and also help slightly lower blood pressure levels. (1, 2)

Does eating healthy fat help you lose weight?

So, here comes the big question does fat in food make you fat? If not, does eating healthy fat help you shed some pounds?

A study comprising obese or overweight participants with type 2 diabetes was randomly assigned to follow a one-year high monounsaturated fat diet and a high-carbohydrate diet. The conclusion was those who are on the high monounsaturated fat diet had more effective weight loss than those on a high-carbohydrate diet.

This shows a diet that includes moderate to high amounts of monounsaturated fats may be useful in weight loss.

But remember:
💡 Fat is energy-dense.

• 1g fat = 9 kcal
• 1g carb/protein = 4 kcal

Even healthy fats can lead to weight gain if eaten in excess. The key is caloric balance — burning more than you consume.

So no, fat in food doesn’t make you fat by default. But overconsuming any nutrient can.

Weight gain is not associated with one singular nutrient but is based on the total daily energy intake and output. As long as you burn what you eat, you’ll maintain your weight. Should you like to shed some pounds, you’ll have to burn more calories than calories consumed.

How much fat should you eat?

You know now, not all saturated fats are bad fat. Some may have positive health effects too. Does this mean it’s alright to eat as much saturated fat as you want? Hold that thought.

Most nutrition experts recommend limiting saturated fats to 10% of your daily calories.

Here is the guideline ↓

Adults are recommended to get 20-35% of their energy intake from fat. 

Meaning, men with a daily energy intake of 2,500 kcal should eat between 55g and 97g of fat per day. As for women, a moderately active woman, with a daily energy intake of 2,000 kcal, should eat between 44g and 78g of fat per day.

With regards to the type of fats, It is generally recommended that less than 10% of total energy intake should come from saturated fat. That’s about 28g for men and 22g for women.

The remaining part should come from the unsaturated fats; monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

When it comes to the most unhealthy trans fats, they should be eaten as little as possible, no more than 1% of total energy intake. Equivalent to less than 3g for men and less than 2g for women.

It’s Not All About Gaining Weight or Getting Fat

The health consequences of eating too much fat or gaining extra weight are more important than being fat. 

Being obese or overweight puts you at an increased risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancers.

Although the studies mentioned above showed that higher levels of saturated fat intake may not be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, cutting down on saturated fats and replacing them with unsaturated fats shown to potentially further reduce the risks.

It is important to replace saturated fats with the right food. 

Let’s take crispy bacon as an example. if you’re replacing your breakfast bacon with bread or pastry, it will give you similar negative effects on your health such as cholesterol levels and weight control. Why? Because bread, especially white bread and pastries are refined carbohydrates and sugar.

Does this mean you may as well have your favourite crispy bacon for breakfast? NO! This means you should not eliminate fat, but choose good fat. For example, replacing butter with olive oil. 

By limiting, not eliminating your intake of saturated fat, you can still improve your health. Waistline too. It is the refined carbs, refined sugars and processed food that make you gain weight and get sicker day by day. 

Remember this: Fat Isn’t the true Enemy — Processed Carbs Are.

List of Healthy High-Fat Foods to Include

So, what types of food should you be looking for? Refer to the following:

1. Avocado

At the top of the list is avocado.

Most fruits primarily contain carbohydrates in the form of sugar but avocados are loaded with fats.

One cup of avocado (cubes) contains 77% fat by calories and that is even higher than fats in most animal foods. The main fatty acid is monounsaturated called oleic acid mostly found in olive oil. 

This leads to the next healthy fat food – olive oil. But before that, I like to let you know that people who eat avocados have lower body weight and less belly fat than those who don’t, according to this study.

2. Olive Oil

Olive oil is known to be incredibly healthy. Won’t you agree?

High in monounsaturated fat, at 73% per tablespoon, the three main grades of olive oil are refined, virgin, and extra virgin. You may want to choose extra virgin olive oil because it is the least processed.

Extra virgin olive oil also contains a good amount of Vitamin E and K and is loaded with antioxidants.

3. Coconut Oil

While olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat, coconut oil is a rich source of saturated fat. As you know by now, not all saturated fats are bad and coconut oil is one good example of healthy saturated fat. Why so?

Coconut fats consist mainly of medium-chain fatty acids. Medium-chain fatty acids are unique as they are easily absorbed and metabolized by the liver and turned into ketone bodies.

What are ketone bodies? Ketone bodies are considered an alternative source of energy produced by the liver. They are made from the breakdown of fats when sugar or glucose is in short supply.

Studies have shown that medium-chain fatty acids can boost metabolism and may help in weight loss. (1, 2)

4. Fatty Fish

Fats in animal products are known to be unhealthy but NOT fatty fish. This includes fish like salmon, mackerel, trout and herring.

These fatty fish are loaded with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, high-quality proteins and various important nutrients, all linked to improved health, especially heart health. 

Besides, eating fish can help you healthily lose weight. A great source of lean protein, you’ll stay full longer. Also, fish are low in calories.

5. Cheese

Cheese is another high-fat food containing fatty acids that are associated with many health benefits. A great source of protein and calcium, cheese also contains an impressive amount of Vitamin A and B12, along with phosphorus, zinc and riboflavin.

High-fat cheeses such as brie, blue cheese and cheddar contain conjugated linoleic acids (CLA). Research shows it may help reduce body fat while improving lean body mass and reducing inflammation.

Note that cheese made from the milk of 100% grass-fed animals contains more CLA and omega-3 fatty acids.

6. Full-Fat Yoghurt

As with cheese, yoghurt also contains CLA which may help with weight loss.

Many people choose low-fat yoghurt believing it’s healthier than full-fat. Well, if it is the healthy fat that you’re after, choose full fat.

Moreover, you ought to know low-fat yoghurt is loaded with added sugar. 

Also, It is best to choose non-flavoured, plain yoghurt. Those fruit-flavoured ones although labelled as natural flavouring, exactly how natural they are, you need to read the food labels carefully.

Read more: What does natural flavour really mean?

7. Eggs

Many people believe eggs are unhealthy due to their cholesterol and fat content. I used to think so too but not anymore.

A new study indicates restricting egg consumption should not be generalized to include all individuals. This is because those who are healthy experience no risk of developing coronary heart disease by increasing their intake of cholesterol. On the contrary, they may have multiple beneficial effects by including eggs in their regular diet.

When it comes to weight control, eggs may help because they’re high in protein, the most important nutrient for weight loss. Also, the fat content of eggs induces greater satiety, giving you a feeling of fullness longer thus reducing food cravings. (1, 2)

8. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is high in fat, about 65% of calories but also contains a good amount of nutrients and antioxidants. 

It has been associated with various health benefits, including improved heart health, brain health and decreased inflammation. (1) 

How about weight loss? Does dark chocolate help? Several studies show dark chocolate promotes a feeling of fullness and may help reduce cravings.

• 16 people in a small study compared the effects of consuming milk chocolate and dark chocolate. It found participants felt less hungry and more full and satisfied after eating dark chocolate. Additionally, those who ate dark chocolate consumed 17% fewer calories at the subsequent meal compared with participants who had milk chocolate.
• In a study in which 12 women participated, smelling and eating dark chocolate suppressed appetite and reduced levels of ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates hunger.

It’s important to keep in mind though, many varieties of chocolate contain added sugar thus you must read the ingredients list carefully when selecting yours. Also, buy dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa and the shorter the ingredients list the better. 

9. Nuts and Seeds

Nuts are high in fat, mostly healthy unsaturated fat. The same goes for seeds.  

Let’s take a quick look at the fat content of the commonly consumed nuts and seeds.

Food Item	Unsaturated Fats	Food Item	Unsaturated Fats
Pecans	18g	Sesame Seeds	14g
Walnuts	16g	Sunflower Seeds	12g
Hazelnuts	15g	Pumpkin Seeds	10g
Almonds	13g	Flax Seeds	10g
Cashews	10g	Chia Seeds	7g

I’ve written numerous articles about the health benefits of these nuts and seeds you may be interested to read further. Browse my blog.

Now you know the good. How about the bad which you need to avoid? Next, …

List of Low-Fat Foods That Make You Fat Quickly

Low-fat, low-calorie or fat-free diet food may do more harm than good, especially to your waistline, though your overall health is equally important and will be affected too.

Fats give your food more flavour, texture and appearance. In food manufacturing, when fats are reduced or removed, something needs to be done to give you palatable food, so that you continue to enjoy the taste and texture. If not, how will food manufacturers sell?

When saturated fats (solid fat) are removed, the food involved becomes less stable, even if they’re replaced with unsaturated fats (liquid fat) such as vegetable oils. In this case, the hydrogenation process is used to create semi-solid fats. This process gives your low-fat food better stability, taste and texture but creates trans fats, a type of fat that can harm your health.

Besides altering the fat content, or rather the oil, sugar is added by manufacturers to enhance the tastiness of the food.

Eventually, you’re loading unhealthy fats into your diet and end up with more calories consuming low-fat foods. 

So, high-fat vs low-fat vs sugar, which one is worst? After reading this article till this point, I believe you know which to choose. Tell us in the comments section below what your thoughts are.

Here is the list of low-fat foods you should be avoiding. Not all are bad though. There are certain varieties that may not cause as much harm but you must be a label reader to determine which. Here goes,

• Skim milk
• Fat-free cheese
• Low-fat salad dressing
• Low-calorie baked goods
• Low-fat flavoured yoghurt
• Reduced-fat peanut butter
• Low-fat cereal, muesli, granola bars

In a Nutshell

The idea that eating fat leads to weight gain is an oversimplified myth.

What really matters is:

• The type of fat you eat
• How much you eat
• Your total energy intake vs output

Fat is not your enemy. In fact, healthy fats are crucial for your body’s wellbeing — from heart and brain health to hormone balance.

So next time someone says fat makes you fat, feel free to share what you know now — and maybe pass them an avocado 🙂

You have come to the end of this article and I hope the information here is helpful. Do you still think that fat in food makes you fat? Share with us what your thoughts are below. 

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Thank you and stay healthy!

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links as part of the Amazon.com Services LLC Associate Programs and other affiliate services. This means that oatznmore.com receives a small commission by linking to amazon.com and other sites at no extra cost to the readers.

Medical Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional, and this post should not be taken as medical advice. Please do your own research. The material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.

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