Türkiye Beslenme Rehberi (TÜBER), Türkiye's national dietary guideline, separates the fat in the diet under two headings. The fat we take in within the structure of foods is called invisible fat, and what we add directly as fat is called visible fat. The function of the distinction is simple: if only the spoonful poured onto the plate is counted in the daily fat calculation, the total always comes out short.
How much visible fat is consumed in Türkiye?
The guideline gives this item with measured numbers. According to TBSA 2017 data, in the group aged 15 and over daily solid fat consumption is on average 13.7 grams in men and 9.1 grams in women. Olive oil consumption is 5.2 grams in men and 5.3 in women; liquid oil consumption is 18.0 grams in men and 15.2 in women.
In the same measurement total fat consumption is given as 50.2 grams. That this number is higher than the sum of the visible fat items shows how invisible fat enters the calculation: the difference is the fat coming from the foods' own structure. The guideline gives cholesterol intake in the same measurement as well: in the group aged 19 and over the daily average is 290.3 milligrams in men and 211.0 milligrams in women.
Where does invisible fat come from?
The main sources of invisible fat are the fat of meat, of milk, of cheese, of eggs and of nuts. The guideline states that the protein and fat ratio in meat changes with whether the meat is fatty or lean; the saturated fatty acid and cholesterol content of fatty meats is higher.
Nuts and oilseeds stand apart in this picture as well. The guideline states that they contain more fat than other foods and that for this reason attention has to be paid to the amounts consumed. A handful, that is 30 grams of hazelnuts or 4 walnuts, is the reason the portion measure is kept small. In hazelnut or peanut butter the measure is smaller still: one dessert spoonful is 25 grams.
How is the daily frame built?
The total fat target is 20-35 percent of energy; in a 2000 calorie diet this corresponds to 44-77 grams. The guideline describes the distribution of that total among the types with measures as well: 1 measure of solid fat, 1 measure of any plant liquid oil and 1.5 or 2 measures of olive oil. Solid fat intake should be kept at the lowest level, below 10 percent of energy.
This distribution arranges the visible fat side. Invisible fat is managed through food choice: when lean red meat, skinless white meat and low fat milk products are preferred, the total comes down on its own.
How is the measure held?
In visible fat the measure is in the kitchen. The guideline recommends that fat be added to the dish without being burned, that frying in fat not be given too much room, and that extra fat not be added to dishes that already contain meat. In preparing meat, boiling, grilling and oven cooking methods are used and frying is avoided.
In invisible fat the measure is on the label and in the portion. Comparing the labels of two similar products and choosing the one whose fat ratio is low is the most practical way the guideline recommends for lowering saturated fat. On the portion side the measures are defined too: one portion of white cheese is the size of three fingers or two matchboxes, that is 60 grams; in kaşar cheese it is two fingers, that is 40 grams.
Why does the ratio between the two types matter?
On the visible fat side which fat is chosen is set by a direct decision; on the invisible fat side the choice comes with the food. The guideline gives direction on this second side through the food group: among foods whose saturated fat ratio is high, fatty meat, sausage, butter, cream, cheese, chocolate, pastry, cakes and biscuits are counted.
Processed meat products enter the same list. Because the saturated fatty acid and salt ratio in products such as salami and sausage is high, keeping their consumption limited, restricted to at most once a week, is recommended.
That is why the daily fat calculation is carried out from two arms at once. If the amount poured from the oil bottle has been lowered and the total still is not falling, the difference is most often on the invisible fat side.
Where does it turn into a mistake?
The first mistake is making the daily fat calculation only from the oil bottle; the measured total is higher than the sum of the visible items. The second mistake is counting invisible fat as something to be avoided completely; fats carry vitamins A, D, E and K and the essential fatty acids, and by leaving the stomach slowly they give a feeling of fullness.
The third mistake is taking the measured consumption numbers for a recommendation. Values such as 13.7 grams or 50.2 grams show what is eaten in Türkiye, not what should be eaten. The recommendation side is given as a percentage of energy, and the two tables should not be mixed up. You can compare the fat values of foods from the fat tab of the nutrition values table.