Saturated Fat Limit Calculator

How it is calculated

Only one input is used, your daily calories. Saturated fat is limited as a share of energy, and fat provides 9 kcal per gram, so general limit (g) = calories × 0.10 ÷ 9 and heart-healthy limit (g) = calories × 0.06 ÷ 9. The difference is general − heart-healthy, which equals calories × 0.04 ÷ 9. The two percentages (10% and 6%) are fixed in the tool and cannot be changed, so a 5% target is not available. Limits are rounded to whole grams and the difference to two decimals. They are upper limits for the day, not goals, and recommendations for children or for people with specific medical conditions can differ.

Common mistakes

• Entering a fat target in the calories box. The input is total daily energy intake in kcal, not grams of fat or calories from fat.
• Comparing the result with total fat on a label. The limit is for saturated fat only, which is the separate line listed under total fat.
• Subtracting the rounded limits by hand (22 − 13 = 9) and thinking the 8.89 g difference is wrong. The tool subtracts the unrounded values.
• Using the calories you eat on a diet day when your usual intake is higher. The limit scales with the calories you enter, so use a typical day.
• Treating the grams as a target to reach. They are caps, and eating less saturated fat is not a problem as long as total fat and calories are adequate.