A diet high in saturated fats—including foods like red meat, palm oil, and whole milk—can elevate cholesterol levels.
Research indicates that swapping these fats for unsaturated fats significantly lowers the risk of heart disease, particularly among individuals with elevated cardiovascular risk.
The recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans highlight sources of saturated fats such as beef tallow and butter, which prompt questions about the consistency of this messaging with long-established recommendations to limit saturated fat intake.
Replacing Saturated Fat Benefits People at High Risk of Heart Disease
Individuals at high risk for heart disease who replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats—like those from plant oils and fish—experience fewer heart attacks and cardiovascular issues. This conclusion comes from a recent review published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
The findings reinforce existing evidence linking high intake of saturated fat to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Saturated fats elevate levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) “bad” cholesterol, which contributes to plaque buildup in arteries. The American Heart Association (AHA) thus recommends limiting saturated fat intake.
“The latest evidence shows that individuals at high cardiovascular risk—those with high LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or a history of heart disease—derive the most benefit from reducing saturated fat. For those at lower risk, the effect is less pronounced, but this doesn’t mean saturated fat is harmless,” Debbie Petitpain, MBA, RDN, a Charleston-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, stated to Verywell via email.
Why You Might Want to Reduce Saturated Fat Anyway
The review indicated that individuals with low cardiovascular risk saw minimal benefits from these dietary adjustments over a five-year period. Nevertheless, this does not imply that those at low risk are shielded from the effects of saturated fats.
“The overall follow-up duration is merely five years. By definition, individuals at low risk for cardiovascular disease are extremely unlikely to encounter a cardiovascular event within that timeframe,” commented Sean Heffron, MD, a preventive cardiologist and director of cardiovascular fitness and nutrition at NYU Langone Heart, who was not part of the study.
Heffron noted that adhering to a diet rich in saturated fat may raise risks in ten to fifteen years.
Recommendations for Saturated Fat Intake
The most recent dietary guidelines advise keeping saturated fat intake to no more than 10% of total daily calories—this recommendation remains consistent with previous editions. The AHA suggests limiting intake to 6% and encourages minimizing tallow, butter, lard, full-fat dairy, and high-fat meats.
Rather than becoming overwhelmed by percentages, focusing on minimizing saturated fat consumption may be more effective.
“Diet is highly personalized. For some, minimizing may equate to eliminating [saturated fats], while for others—like someone who indulges in burgers daily—accessible minimization might mean consuming one every other day,” Heffron added.
Are Saturated Fats ‘Bad’?
“Saturated fat is not inherently ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ Instead, its impact depends on the quantity consumed, your overall dietary habits, personal health risks, and what other foods you substitute,” Petitpain explained.
Saturated fats represent just one component of your overall dietary pattern.
“Concentrating on individual nutrients diverts attention from the broader context,” Petitpain emphasized. “Heart disease remains a primary cause of mortality, and comprehensive dietary patterns—such as increased intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthier fats while limiting processed foods—have a significant effect on health, more so than any single nutrient.”
