How much fat should I eat per day?

Most healthy adults are advised to get about 20–35% of their daily calories from fat. For a 2,000 kcal diet this is roughly 44–78 g of total fat per day. Saturated fat is usually limited to less than 10% of calories, and many heart-health guidelines suggest aiming for less than 7%.

How do I calculate grams of fat from calories?

Fat provides 9 kcal per gram. To convert calories from fat to grams, divide calories from fat by 9. For example, if you want 600 kcal from fat, 600 ÷ 9 ≈ 67 g of fat.

What is the difference between saturated, unsaturated and trans fats?

Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature and found in fatty meats, butter and full-fat dairy. Unsaturated fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are usually liquid oils and are found in nuts, seeds, fish and plant oils. Industrial trans fats are created by hydrogenating oils and are associated with increased cardiovascular risk; many guidelines recommend avoiding them as much as possible.

Do I need to track omega-3 and omega-6 intake?

You do not need to track them perfectly, but ensuring you get enough omega-3 (for example 250–500 mg EPA+DHA per day for most adults) and not an excessive amount of omega-6 relative to omega-3 is helpful for heart health. The calculator provides indicative targets based on common recommendations.

Should everyone follow the same fat intake recommendations?

No. People with specific medical conditions, high cardiovascular risk, malabsorption, eating disorders, or those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, elderly or very active athletes may need different fat intakes. Always follow the advice of your healthcare professional or registered dietitian.

Fat Intake Calculator

Estimate your recommended daily fat intake (total fat, saturated fat, omega-3 and omega-6) based on your calories, age, sex and activity level.

Calculate your daily fat targets

Sex

Age

Height

Weight

Activity level

Goal

Total fat as % of calories

15%30%40%

Most guidelines suggest 20–35% of calories from fat for healthy adults.

Advanced: custom calories

If you already know your daily calorie target, you can override the estimate below.

Energy estimate kcal/day

Estimated daily calories:

—

Based on Mifflin–St Jeor equation and your activity level.

Total fat target g/day

Recommended total fat:

—

Saturated fat limit

—

Trans fat

Keep as low as possible, ideally < 1% of calories.

Omega-3 & omega-6 (approximate)

Omega-3 (ALA + EPA/DHA)

—

Typical target: 250–500 mg EPA+DHA plus 1–2 g ALA/day.

Omega-6 (LA)

—

Often 2–3× omega-3 intake, but avoid very high ratios.

Medical disclaimer: This tool is for general education and is not a substitute for personalized advice from your doctor or registered dietitian.

Daily fat intake summary

Type of fat	Guideline	Your target
Total fat	20–35% of calories	—
Saturated fat	< 10% of calories (often < 7% for heart health)	—
Trans fat	As low as possible (< 1% of calories)	Avoid industrial trans fats
Omega-3	≈ 250–500 mg EPA+DHA + 1–2 g ALA	—
Omega-6	Often 2–3× omega-3 intake	—

How this fat intake calculator works

This calculator estimates how much fat you should eat per day using three steps:

Estimate your daily calorie needs (energy requirement).
Apply guideline ranges for the percentage of calories from fat.
Convert calories from fat into grams of total fat, saturated fat and approximate omega-3/omega-6 targets.

1. Estimating your daily calories

We use the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, a widely used formula for resting metabolic rate (RMR), then multiply by an activity factor and adjust for your goal.

Mifflin–St Jeor (RMR):

For men: RMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age(years) + 5

For women: RMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age(years) − 161

Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE):

TDEE = RMR × activity factor

Sedentary: 1.2
Lightly active: 1.375
Moderately active: 1.55
Very active: 1.725
Extra active: 1.9

Goal adjustment:

Maintain: 100% of TDEE
Mild loss: 90% of TDEE
Aggressive loss: 80% of TDEE
Mild gain: 110% of TDEE
Aggressive gain: 120% of TDEE

2. Choosing your fat percentage

Major health organizations typically recommend that 20–35% of total calories come from fat for most healthy adults. Very low-fat diets (< 15% of calories) and very high-fat diets (> 40% of calories) can be appropriate in special situations but are usually followed under professional supervision.

You can move the slider to choose your preferred fat percentage. The calculator then converts this into grams:

Calories from fat:

Calories_fat = Total calories × (% fat ÷ 100)

Grams of fat:

Grams_fat = Calories_fat ÷ 9

Fat provides 9 kcal per gram.

3. Saturated fat and omega-3/omega-6

Saturated fat is usually limited to less than 10% of calories, and many heart-health guidelines suggest aiming for less than 7% if you have cardiovascular risk factors.

Saturated fat limit (grams):

Calories_sat = Total calories × (sat% ÷ 100)

Grams_sat = Calories_sat ÷ 9

For omega-3 and omega-6, there is no single universal number, but many expert groups suggest:

Omega-3: around 250–500 mg EPA+DHA per day for most adults, plus 1–2 g/day of ALA from plant sources.
Omega-6: several grams per day, often about 2–3 times your omega-3 intake, while avoiding extremely high omega-6:omega-3 ratios.

The calculator provides indicative omega-3 and omega-6 targets based on your total fat intake, but these are approximate and not strict requirements.

Example: daily fat intake for a 2,000 kcal diet

Suppose your daily calorie target is 2,000 kcal and you choose 30% of calories from fat:

Calories from fat = 2,000 × 0.30 = 600 kcal
Grams of fat = 600 ÷ 9 ≈ 67 g fat/day

If you limit saturated fat to 8% of calories:

Calories from saturated fat = 2,000 × 0.08 = 160 kcal
Grams of saturated fat = 160 ÷ 9 ≈ 18 g saturated fat/day

Healthy vs. less healthy fats

The total amount of fat matters, but the type of fat is just as important:

Fats to emphasize

Monounsaturated fats – olive oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts).
Polyunsaturated fats – sunflower, soybean, corn oils; walnuts; seeds.
Omega-3 fats – fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts.

Fats to limit

Saturated fats – fatty cuts of meat, processed meats, butter, ghee, lard, cream, coconut oil, palm oil.
Industrial trans fats – partially hydrogenated oils, some baked goods, fried fast foods, certain margarines.

Practical tips to meet your fat targets

Use plant oils (olive, canola, rapeseed, sunflower) instead of butter or lard for cooking.
Include a small portion of nuts or seeds most days (e.g., a small handful of almonds or walnuts).
Eat fatty fish 1–2 times per week for omega-3 fats.
Choose lean cuts of meat and trim visible fat; limit processed meats.
Check nutrition labels for grams of total fat, saturated fat and trans fat per serving.
Be mindful of portion sizes of high-fat foods like cheese, nuts and oils—they are healthy in moderation but calorie-dense.

Limitations and safety

This calculator is designed for generally healthy adults. It does not replace medical or dietetic advice. You should seek professional guidance if you:

Have heart disease, diabetes, kidney or liver disease, or other chronic conditions.
Are pregnant, breastfeeding, elderly or a growing teenager.
Have a history of eating disorders or significant unintentional weight loss.
Are considering very low-fat or very high-fat diets (e.g., strict ketogenic diets).

Always follow the recommendations of your healthcare provider or registered dietitian if they differ from the general guidelines used here.

Frequently asked questions about fat intake

Is low-fat always better?

Not necessarily. Extremely low-fat diets can make it harder to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), may affect hormone production and can reduce satiety. For most people, a moderate fat intake with a focus on unsaturated fats is more sustainable and healthier than very low-fat eating.

Can I follow a high-fat diet like keto?

Some people use high-fat, very low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss or medical reasons. These diets can provide 60–75% of calories from fat, far above standard guidelines. They should be followed under professional supervision, especially if you have cardiovascular, kidney, liver or metabolic conditions.

How do I track my fat intake?

You can:

Use a food tracking app that shows grams of total fat and saturated fat.
Read nutrition labels and add up grams of fat from the foods you eat.
Work with a dietitian to review your typical meals and identify high-fat items.

Over time, you will learn which foods contribute most to your fat intake and how to adjust portions.