Initiative for a Healthy Weight

Nutrition

Tips for Making Wise Choices about Fats and Oils

Examples of Oils to Use

• Some examples of vegetable oils are canola, olive, peanut, soybean, corn, safflower, and sunflower oil.

Tips for Making Wise Choices About Fats and Oils

• Substitute vegetable oils for solid fats like butter, stick margarine, shortening, or lard.
• Substitute nuts for meat or cheese as a snack or as part of a meal.
• Choose fish rich in omega-3 fats, such as salmon, trout, and herring.
• Read the Nutrition Facts label to select products that are lowest in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. As of 2006, trans fat labeling is required.
• Limit products containing saturated fats, such as ground and processed meats, full-fat cheese, cream, ice cream, and fried foods.
• Limit foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, which contain trans fats, such as some commercially fried foods and some bakery goods. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are listed on ingredient labels of food products.
• Select baked, steamed, or broiled rather than fried foods most often.
• Select lean or low-fat foods most often. Solid fats that occur intrinsically in some foods are considered discretionary calories, as are solid fats added to foods.

For more information about fats and oils, go to the Oils section of MyPyramid.gov.