One of the most interesting insights from over 20,000 meals logged through the Strove SNI Meal Scanner is that many users are missing the mark when it comes to healthy fats.

While protein, calories, and carbohydrates often get most of the attention, fat quality is one of the most important factors influencing long-term health.

In fact, one of the most common reasons meals fail to achieve a favourable nutrition score is because they contain too much saturated fat and not enough unsaturated fat.

The good news? Small changes can make a big difference.

Not all fats are created equal

Fat is an essential nutrient.

Your body needs it for:

• Hormone production
• Brain function
• Absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K
• Cell health
• Energy

The goal is not to avoid fat. The goal is to choose the right types more often.

Broadly speaking, fats can be divided into two categories:

1. Unsaturated fats
These are generally considered the healthier fats and are associated with improved heart health and lower cardiovascular disease risk.

Common sources include:

• Avocados
• Nuts and nut butters
• Seeds
• Olive oil
• Canola oil
• Olives
• Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and trout

2. Saturated fats
These are found primarily in:

• Fatty cuts of meat
• Processed meats
• Butter
• Cream
• Cheese
• Pastries and baked goods
• Fried foods
• Coconut oil

Saturated fat is not "bad" and does not need to be eliminated completely. However, most people benefit from consuming less of it and replacing some of it with unsaturated fats.

What does a healthy fat profile look like?

Within the Strove Meal Scanner, a meal is considered to have a favourable fat profile when it:

• Contains less than 30g of total fat
• Contains more than 5g of unsaturated fat
• Contains at least 50% more unsaturated fat than saturated fat

While you do not need to calculate these numbers yourself, they highlight an important principle:

A healthy meal is not necessarily low fat.

It is balanced towards the right fats.

Why does this matter?

Research consistently shows that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats can improve cholesterol levels and support heart health.

A meal rich in unsaturated fats may help:

• Support cardiovascular health
• Improve cholesterol profiles
• Increase satiety
• Support brain function
• Reduce long-term disease risk

It is one of the simplest nutritional upgrades you can make.

Build meals around healthy fat sources

A useful way to think about meal building is to start with your protein and vegetables, then add a healthy fat source.

For example:

Instead of

• Fried chicken and chips

Try

• Grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, and avocado

Or:

Instead of

• A cheese-heavy sandwich with processed meat

Try

• Wholegrain bread with chicken, salad, and hummus

The goal is not perfection. It is shifting the balance.

Easy ways to improve your fat profile

Small swaps often make the biggest difference.

Add

• Avocado to salads and sandwiches
• A handful of nuts as a snack
• Seeds to oats, yoghurt, or salads
• Olive oil-based dressings
• Fatty fish once or twice per week

Reduce

• Large amounts of cheese
• Processed meats
• Deep-fried foods
• Cream-based sauces
• Excess butter

You do not need to remove these foods completely. Simply having them less often or in smaller portions can improve the overall balance of your diet. Next time you scan a meal, see if simply changing the portions on your plate give you a better score. Same foods, better balance.

A healthy fat meal in practice

A meal with a strong fat profile might look like:

• Grilled salmon
• Brown rice
• Roasted vegetables
• Side salad with olive oil dressing

Or:

• Chicken breast
• Mixed salad
• Avocado
• Seeds
• Wholegrain roll

These meals provide healthy fats without pushing total fat intake too high.

Look at patterns, not individual meals

One meal does not make or break your health.

What matters is what you do most of the time.

If your meals regularly include:

• Vegetables
• Lean proteins
• Whole foods
• Healthy fat sources

You are likely moving in the right direction.

The takeaway

The biggest lesson from 20,000 meals is not that people are eating too much fat.

It is that many people could benefit from improving the quality of the fat they eat.

Rather than avoiding fat altogether, focus on adding more unsaturated fats from foods like avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fish while keeping saturated fats in moderation.

Small changes to the fats on your plate can have a meaningful impact on your long-term health.

And as our meal data continues to show, it is one of the easiest nutrition wins available.

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