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Saturated fats have gotten bad press over the past few decades, but they’re not all created equal. Some saturated fats are actually good for you, while others may increase your risk of heart disease and other health problems. The fats known as trans fats are considered to be the worst of all, but natural saturated fats can also cause problems if eaten in excess. These tips will help you identify what makes one type of saturated fat better than another and how to work with each type in moderation to keep your body functioning at its best.
What are saturated fats?
So what are saturated fats? They’re one of three groups of dietary fats. (For more on saturated fat, check out What Are Saturated Fats?) There are four types of fatty acids that make up saturated fats—stearic acid, palmitic acid, lauric acid, and myristic acid. According to Harvard Medical School’s Healthy Eating Plate, these fats should comprise no more than 10 percent of your daily caloric intake. (The American Heart Association is a little stricter with its recommendations; it recommends limiting saturated fat intake to 5 to 6 percent of your daily calories.) You can find them in some animal products (especially dairy products) as well as certain plant foods. About 40 percent of dietary cholesterol is also made up of saturated fat.
How do saturated fats affect our health?
Saturated fats are generally considered less healthy than unsaturated fats because they increase blood cholesterol levels. Eating saturated fats raises our overall level of cholesterol in three ways. First, saturated fats can replace unsaturated fats (primarily polyunsaturated fat) in our diets without substantially reducing total fat content. Second, saturated fats are absorbed more readily by our bodies than unsaturated fats; indeed, foods high in saturated fat raise blood cholesterol levels almost as much as animal products high in cholesterol.
What is the link between saturated fat and heart disease?
It’s unclear. For years, the conventional wisdom has been that saturated fat clogs up your arteries and increases your risk of heart disease. But recently the relationship between saturated fat and heart disease has come under a lot of scrutiny—and in some cases even reversed.
Are there any benefits of eating saturated fat?
Absolutely. Saturated fat is a major component of cell membranes in our bodies. Additionally, it’s an important component of several hormones that help regulate things like metabolism, memory formation, and protein synthesis. In fact, saturated fat intake plays a role in nearly every bodily function from hair growth to immune system health. While some types of saturated fats may be harmful when consumed in excess (we’ll cover those later), eating foods rich in healthy fats is crucial for overall health. These foods include avocados, olive oil, or nuts like almonds or walnuts. However, there are also many other positive health benefits of saturated fat which you can read about here.
Tips on how to eat healthier based on this information
If you’re looking to make healthy dietary changes, it can be helpful to know which foods to avoid in favor of healthier alternatives. If a food is considered saturated fat-free—or low in saturated fats—that doesn’t mean it’s low in calories or healthy food. Don’t fall into this nutritional trap; instead focus on eating meals that include plenty of high-fiber fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins like chicken breasts or fish. To lose weight safely but quickly without sacrificing your health, try to eat fewer processed foods—like white bread, baked goods, and some pasta—and less sugar each day.
How much saturated fat should we eat every day?
According to a recent report by the American Heart Association (AHA), we should eat less than 7 percent of our daily calories from saturated fat. But that doesn’t mean you need to avoid all saturated fats. In fact, some studies suggest these bad fats may have benefits for heart health. For example, a 2010 study in New England Journal of Medicine reported that replacing saturated fat with good unsaturated fat may reduce heart disease risk. That being said, there’s no research suggesting you should take in more saturated fat than your body needs for normal bodily functions—and not every study has found that saturated fats can actually improve heart health.
Sources of Saturated Fat
According to a study published in 2013 in Public Health Nutrition, people tend to get most of their saturated fat from meat (about 28 percent) and dairy products (about 20 percent). Another study, published in 2008 in Nutrition Journal, found that vegetable oils are a leading source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature while unsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature. This makes unsaturated fats preferable because they’re not as likely to clog your arteries as saturated fats can be. However, like all things health-related it’s not quite that simple. In fact, some studies have even shown the benefits of consuming certain types of saturated fat—and for some specific diseases even recommend it!
