Why 0 gram goal for poly- and monounsaturated fats?

Wiley285
Wiley285 Posts: 16 Member
edited November 13 in Food and Nutrition
Everyday, MFP says my goal for polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats is zero grams. But recommendations say we should eat foods high in those "good" fats. Why does MFP want us to literally eliminate them from our diets?

Replies

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited September 2015
    It's a programming flub. It should be N/A because there isn't a recommended amount but the programming has Zero there instead.

    Just keep in mind that there's no set recommendation for those.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    +1 - it's "no goal set for this" rather than "this goal is zero". Use custom goal setting and dial in a number, but be aware that the database entries are probably sadly lacking in this area.
  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
    Although the individual goals of Poly Fat and Mono Fat are undefined and should be labeled as not applicable (N/A), the sum of the goals of Poly Fat and Mono Fat is defined and equals the goal of Total Fat minus the goal of Saturated Fat, given the goal of Trans Fat is zero.
    Goal (Poly + Mono + Trans + Saturated) = Goal (Total Fat)
    ...rearranging...
    Goal (Poly + Mono) = Goal (Total Fat - Saturated - Trans)
    ...since Goal (Trans) = 0
    Goal (Poly + Mono) = Goal (Total Fat - Saturated)
    Just plug your daily goals for Total Fat and Saturated into the above equation to find your daily goal of Poly Fat plus Mono Fat.

    Please see this post for additional information on the reporting of the issue with MFP incorrectly changing the goals of Poly Fat and Mono Fat from N/A to zero (0). This issue seems to be fixed on the iOS app, but it still is an issue on the Web version and the Android app.
    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10163604/poly-monounsaturated-fats#latest
    @Alex FYI
  • Alex
    Alex Posts: 10,137 MFP Staff
    Thanks @CyberTone I will discuss with our technical and product teams.
  • amf40920
    amf40920 Posts: 1 Member
    It's still not fixed on the Android app. MFP shows me a daily goal of 13 grams of saturated fat a day, yet 0 grams monounsaturated and polyunsaturated a day. It should be the other way around...you would think.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    13 g of sat fat for a goal seems reasonable--usually the recommendation varies from under 7% of calories to under 10% or so, not none.

    The PUFA and MUFA should be N/A now, since there's no set limit (beyond your total fat goal), not 0.
  • profit4fam
    profit4fam Posts: 1 Member
    "You probably know the polyunsaturated fats as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Women should consume 1.1 grams daily, and men need 1.6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids daily. For omega-6 fatty acids, women need 11 grams, while men should consume 17 grams daily, according to the Linus Pauling Institute."
    http://livehealthy.chron.com/recommended-daily-intake-fat-calories-3272.html
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Those aren't limits, unless you are reading them as "don't go over." My understanding is that the more likely issue for most people is the ratio of 3 to 6.
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