What Are Total Fats According To NLEA?

Olive oil in a glass bottle
Extra virgin olive oil is a good source of fat

Total fats means the combined value of the different types of fat, saturated fat, unsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and also trans-fat.

Fat is found in foods from both plants and animals.

The value for total fat on the nutrition labels on food packaging doesn’t tell you how much you’re getting from the different types of fat.

That information is vital so that you know what kind of fat you are consuming.

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What Is NLEA?

NLEA stands for the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990.

It provides the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with specific authority to require nutrition labeling of most foods regulated by the Agency and to regulate health claims on food labels and in food labeling. (source )

Total Fats According To NLEA

Total fats according to NLEA, means that every gram of fat in a specific food or drink counts as one serving.

The serving size is listed in grams, on the Nutrition Facts label.

It does not list the exact amounts of different fats in the food. They are usually put together.

Foods with more than one serving of fat are usually called high-fat foods. That means a single gram of fat in a high-fat food counts as a serving.

Fat Is Essential For Your Health

Fat is an essential part of a healthy diet.

It’s a source of essential fatty acids, which the body cannot make itself.

Fat helps the body absorb vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.

These vitamins are fat-soluble, which means they can only be absorbed with the help of fats. (source )

Foods You Can Find Total Fat (NLEA) In

You find Total Fat (NLEA) mostly in fats and oil, dairy and egg, nut and seed, and legume products.

Examples of food sources include

Foods in our nutrition tool

You can find regularly updated top-ranked lists of foods for over 200+ nutrients in our nutrition tool.

If you are interested in what foods contain the most Total Fat (NLEA) we recommend you visit our tool.

Here's our top-ranked list of foods that contain Total Fat (NLEA).

Sara Niemelä

co-founder Care Omnia, Head Content Creator

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Nutrition is my passion. I've spent thousands upon thousands of hours reading, analyzing, categorizing and comparing research studies.

I’m a wife and a mother of three. I enjoy the outdoors, cooking, and spending time with my family.