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Top 10 High Fat Foods to Avoid

Written by Daisy Whitbread, MScN
Powered by USDA Nutrition Data
Top 10 High Fat Foods to Avoid

How much fat should be in the diet is a source of controversy in nutrition today.

While there are healthy sources of fat you should be eating, all the foods on this list should be avoided, or at least limited to a very occasional treat.

Of all the fats listed below, trans-fats are easily the most damaging and should be avoided. Read ingredient labels and avoided any trans or partially hydrogenated fats.

High-fat foods to avoid include fast foods, whipped cream, fatty meats, fried foods, fatty snacks, processed meats, desserts, fatty salad dressings, animal fats, and trans-fats. The daily value (DV) for fat is 65 grams per day.

For more information, see the article on healthy high fat foods to eat, foods high in omega 3 fats, and the complete ranking of 200 foods high in fat.

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List of Unhealthy High Fat Foods

1 Fast Foods (Burger King Double Whopper With Cheese)
A hamburger with cheese

More Fast Foods High in Fat

-98% DV in McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast
-75% DV in a Taco Bell Taco Salad
-57% DV in a Croissant with Egg, Cheese, and Sausage

See all fast foods high in fat.
2 Whipped Cream
Ice-cream sunday with whipped cream

More High Fat Dairy to Avoid

-32% DV in an ice-cream cone
-17% DV per oz of whipping cream
-16% DV per cup of eggnog
3 Beef Short Ribs
A serving of ribs

More High Fat Meats

-50% DV in a pork chop with fat
-31% DV in a roast chicken thigh
-22% DV in a roasted chicken wing

See all meats high in fat.
4 Fried Foods (Fried Chicken)
Fried Chicken

More Fried Foods High in Fat

45% DV in a medium order of onion rings
-28% DV in a medium order of French fries
5 Fatty Snacks (Corn Chips)
Extruded corn chips

More Unhealthy High Fat Snacks

-16% DV per oz of potato chips (crisps)
-14% DV per oz of a chocolate coconut granola bar
-13% DV per oz of plantain chips

See all the list of all high fat snacks.
6 Processed Meats (Brautwurst Sausage)
Sausages

More High Fat Processed Meats

-61% DV in 3oz of pepperoni
-12% DV in a slice of bologna
-12% DV in 2 slices of bacon
7 Desserts (Dulce De Leche)
Dulce De Leche

More Confections High in Fat

-50% DV in 1/2 cup of chocolate mouse
-43% DV in a slice of chocolate cake with frosting
-32% DV in a cream filled eclair
-19% DV in a piece of blueberry pie
-15% DV in a cake donut

See all sweets high in fat, and all baked foods high in fat.
8 Salad Dressing
Salad Dressings
Avoid creamy dressings and choose low-fat dressings, or simply use vinegar/dried herbs. Be sure to watch the sugar content with low-fat dressings.
9 Animal Fat (Lard)
Raw lamb with fat
Choose plant oils high in omega 3 fats over animal fats. Fish oils are also ok.
10 Transfats (Margarine)
Hydrogenated Fat
No fat is more damaging to cardiovascular health than trans-fats. Trans-fats became popular for extending the shelf life of foods, however, they are slowly being phased out of use due to their damaging health effects. Check ingredient labels and avoid any foods with trans-fats or partially hydrogenated fats. While margarine is listed here, not all margarine is high in trans-fats. Again, check ingredient labels.

See All 200 Foods High in Fat

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View more food groups with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.

Data Sources and References

  1. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28.
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