Does Saturated Fat Really Matter? Saturated vs. Unsaturated Fat

Like other nutrients, getting enough good fats is important for a well-balanced diet. Fat provides your body with the energy it requires to function properly. Your body obtains linoleic and linolenic fatty acids from the foods you eat, often referred to as essential fats because your body cannot produce them on its own. They are required for brain development and functioning.

Fat is necessary to maintain the health of your skin and hair as they help your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K. Fats also help keep you warm, forming a layer of adipose tissue that insulates the body.

There are three main dietary fats:

• Saturated fats
• Trans fats
• Unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated)

Saturated and trans fats

Saturated fats contain only single bonds between carbon molecules and hydrogen molecules. At room temperature, saturated and trans fats tend to be more solid (such as butter). Saturated fats are mostly animal fats:

• Fatty meat, such as beef and lamb
• Dairy products, such as cream, whole milk, butter, shortening, and cheese
• Coconut and palm oils

Saturated and trans fat is abundant in many processed foods and store-bought baked goods, particularly those containing partially hydrogenated oils.

Unsaturated fats

Unsaturated fats differ from saturated fats in that they have one or more double bonds in their chemical composition. At room temperature, unsaturated fats are usually liquid (such as canola and olive oil). They are categorized based on their structures into two types:

• Monounsaturated fats: Only one double bond exists in the structure. Canola and olive oil are examples of monounsaturated fats.
• Polyunsaturated fats: The structure of this type of unsaturated fat has two or more double bonds. Safflower, sunflower, and corn oil are examples of polyunsaturated fats.

Examples of foods that contain unsaturated fats include:

• Nuts
• Plant oils
• Olives
• Certain fish, such as salmon, tuna, and anchovies, which contain omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids

Unsaturated fats can help lower your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which helps keep your heart healthy. While better than saturated fats, unsaturated fats should also be consumed in moderation.

Dietary guidelines recommend that no more than 10% of your daily calorie consumption should come from saturated fats. 

So for a 2000-calorie diet, no more than 200 calories (22 grams of saturated fats) should come from saturated fats.

Saturated fats can raise total cholesterol and shift the balance toward more dangerous low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, causing blockages in arteries (atherosclerosis) in the heart and other parts of the body. 

However, according to one meta-analysis, evidence is insufficient to establish that saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease. While saturated fat is not healthy, it is not as terrible as it has been portrayed in the past. It is best to limit your intake of saturated fat, and replace them with unsaturated fats when possible.