Foods in this group give us energy and keep our body warm.
The general food group containing fats and sweets is the smallest food group, meaning that you should consume the least amount of foods from this group. Sweets tend to provide large amounts of “empty” calories with little nutritional value, while fats often provide large amounts of unhealthy fat and calories. Some fats are considered healthier than others, however. Pay attention to the exact types of foods and beverages classified as sweets and fats to understand overall healthy eating.
Sweets
The sweets food group contains mostly foods that you should limit in your diet, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Sweets include fatty desserts like cakes, brownies, cookies, ice cream and other high-fat, high-sugar treats. The group includes pies, puddings, cupcakes, doughnuts, muffins, sweet breads, candies, sugary spreads and syrups. Sweets can also include sugary beverages like soft drinks, sugary sports or energy drinks, lemonade and hot chocolate.
Fats
Unlike sweets, fats are a more complicated type of food group, because some fats are actually good for you in moderation and others are best avoided altogether. All types of fats are very high in calories, however. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of “good” fat found in fatty fish like mackerel, herring, sardines, trout, tuna and salmon, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are also healthier types of fats found in nuts, nut butters and avocados, as well as olive, canola, safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn and sesame oils. The “bad” fats are saturated fats and hydrogenated or trans fats. Saturated fats are found in animal-based foods like fatty meats, high-fat dairy products, poultry skins and fast foods. Hydrogenated shortening, palm oil, cocoa butter and coconut oil as well as lard, butter and whole-milk dairy all contain saturated fats. Margarine, vegetable shortening, fried foods and processed snack foods contain trans fat.