Is saturated fat bad for your health?
Some say saturated fat—found in coconut oil, chocolate, butter, and fattier cuts of meat—is terrible for your health, gumming up your arteries and leading to heart attacks.
Others say caution is outdated—and even advise you to eat more of it.
But what does the research say?
In a nutshell:
When consumed in excess, saturated fats increase cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular events.
Recent studies, such as those published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, affirm that high intake of saturated fats is associated with elevated LDL cholesterol levels, a known risk factor for heart disease.
Examples of sources: Red meat, cheese, processed meats like bacon and sausages.
Saturated fats don’t increase your risk of dying.
Surprisingly, a meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found no significant link between saturated fat intake and mortality rates. However, it's crucial to note that these findings don't discount the impact of saturated fats on cardiovascular health.
The truth is, saturated fat is neither all bad nor completely harmless.
Rather, it’s a matter of consuming saturated fats in the appropriate doses, in the right context.
In fact, if you’re eating a balanced whole foods diet, and you’re not consuming excess calories, you probably don’t need to worry about your saturated fat intake.
A good general guideline:
Keep saturated fats to about 10 percent or less of total daily calories to reduce the risk of negative health effects.
Actionable Steps:
Audit Your Diet: Take a moment to reflect on your typical meals and snacks throughout the day. Are there any sources of saturated fats that you could potentially replace with healthier alternatives?
Healthy Substitutions: Consider swapping out saturated fat sources with healthier alternatives. For instance, instead of butter, try avocado or nut butter on toast. Replace fatty cuts of meat with lean protein sources like poultry, fish, or plant-based proteins such as tofu or legumes.
Embrace Unsaturated Fats: Incorporate more foods rich in unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like salmon. These fats have been shown to have beneficial effects on heart health.
Mindful Eating: Pay attention to portion sizes and overall dietary patterns. Opt for whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible and limit intake of highly processed and packaged foods.
It’s worth noting: Trans fatty acids are the bigger concern. They’re directly linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and allergy.
The good news: These kinds of trans fatty acids are primarily found in packaged foods and have to be listed on nutrition labels. (Ideally, you want to choose products that contain 0 grams.)
