There are many different diets out there, and different groups such as the USDA and American Heart Association have guidelines that differ slightly, which can make it difficult to decide what one should do with their diet to impact their health goals.
No matter the composition or source, an important thing to remember is that all sources of fat (butter, margarine, olive oil, canola oil, shortening, etc.), all have approximately 9 calories per gram and overuse of fats can add extra calories to your daily intake.
| Calorie Content |
| 1 gram of fat ≅ 9 kcal |
| Below are the gram amounts of a tablespoon of commonly used fats |
| Oil = 14 |
| Butter = 11.52 |
| Regular margarine = 11.38 |
| Vegetable shortening = 12.8 |
| Source: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/list |