Fat grams vs. percentages: Which is more important?

You are. Health experts recommend that 20 percent to 35 percent of calories come from fat. But this refers to percent of total daily calories, not to each food item. So, if you consume 1,800 calories a day, you should have no more than 70 grams of fat a day. (35 percent of 1,800 calories = 630 calories, divided by 9 calories per gram of fat = 70 grams.)

Just because a food is high in the percentage of calories from fat doesn't necessarily mean that it has a lot of fat, or that it should be avoided. For example, 55 percent of the calories in part-skim mozzarella cheese come from fat, but 1 ounce has just four grams of fat and 72 calories. To get a more accurate calculation of fat in your diet, count fat grams.

To reduce the amount of fat in your diet, you don't necessarily have to eliminate high-fat foods — just eat them in smaller amounts and less often. Balance high-fat foods with vegetables, fruits, grains and low-fat dairy products.