The Truth About Saturated Fats: Are They Really Harmful?

Butter and lard are not as harmful as commonly believed.

It has long been advised to minimize the intake of fatty foods, as they are thought to cause weight gain at best and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) at worst. However, over the past five years, numerous studies have challenged this notion. Saturated fats are gradually being re-evaluated and are no longer universally considered detrimental.

Let's dive into how much saturated fat can be consumed safely and understand the differences between various fatty acids before examining research findings.

Understanding Different Types of Fatty Acids

In the body, fats (triglycerides) break down into fatty acids with varying structures. Saturated fatty acids have single bonds between carbon atoms, monounsaturated fatty acids contain one double bond, and polyunsaturated fatty acids have multiple double bonds.

Another category is trans fats—unsaturated fatty acids with altered structures where hydrogen atoms are positioned opposite each other across the carbon chain.

A single fat source can contain a mix of saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats. For example, butter contains about 34% monounsaturated oleic acid and 44.5% saturated fatty acids (24% palmitic, 11% myristic, and 9.5% stearic acids).

Fats high in saturated fatty acids typically remain solid at room temperature, such as lard and butter (exceptions include fish and chicken fats). Conversely, fats rich in unsaturated acids tend to be liquid, like most vegetable oils (exceptions include palm, coconut, and cocoa butter).

Small amounts of trans fats occur naturally in animal fats, such as 2–5% in dairy products. However, hydrogenated vegetable oils—a process adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats—contain significant trans fat levels. For instance, 100 grams of hard margarine can contain 14.5 grams of trans fats, while butter contains only about 7 grams per 100 grams.

Common sources of trans fats in diets include pies, cookies, crackers, margarine, French fries, chips, and popcorn.

Notably, trans fats do not form in vegetable oils during typical frying but can accumulate if the oil is reused multiple times.

Saturated Fats Are Not as Harmful as Once Thought

A major study involving over 135,000 participants from 18 countries revealed that high carbohydrate intake—not fat consumption—is linked to increased mortality. Lead researcher Mahshid Dehghan stated, "Our findings do not support current guidelines limiting total fat intake to 30% of calories and saturated fat to 10%."

Reducing overall fat intake does not improve population health. When fats make up 35% of the diet and carbohydrates less than 60%, the risk of cardiovascular disease decreases.

Individuals consuming more than 60% carbohydrates may benefit from increasing fat intake.

Comparing highest to lowest fat consumption, stroke risk dropped by 18% and overall mortality by 30% (excluding CVD mortality). All fat types lowered risk: saturated fats by 14%, monounsaturated by 19%, and polyunsaturated by 20%. Higher saturated fat intake reduced stroke risk by 21%.

While saturated fats raise "bad" LDL cholesterol, they also increase "good" HDL cholesterol, resulting in no net harm.

Other studies support these findings. A 2014 review found no link between saturated fat intake and cardiovascular disease.

Research in the Netherlands showed that high saturated fat consumption did not raise ischemic heart disease risk. In fact, dairy products like butter, cheese, and milk slightly reduced risk, whereas replacing fats with animal protein or carbohydrates increased it.

Similarly, Danish dietary analyses found no association between saturated fat intake and cardiovascular risk, which only rose when fats were replaced by animal protein.

A recent Norwegian study placed participants on a high-fat diet rich in butter, sour cream, and cold-pressed vegetable oils, with saturated fats comprising about 50% of total fat. Participants experienced weight loss, reduced body fat, lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels.

Most healthy individuals tolerate high saturated fat intake well when sourced from quality foods and within caloric needs. Saturated fats may even benefit health.

— Ottar Nygård, Professor and Cardiologist

Should You Replace Saturated Fats with Unsaturated Fats?

Polyunsaturated fats have proven benefits: they lower cardiovascular risk, protect hair from dryness and breakage, slow skin aging, support vision, and are essential for brain function.

Some studies indicate that replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats reduces cardiovascular disease risk by about 17%. Replacing saturated fats with carbohydrates or protein does not yield these benefits.

Another 2015 review showed that substituting saturated fats with whole-grain carbohydrates, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated fats decreases cardiovascular risk by 8%, 15%, and 25%, respectively.

However, even strict dietary guidelines do not recommend completely replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats. Certain saturated fatty acids, like butyric acid found in butter, cheese, and cream, support gut health by fueling intestinal cells and reducing inflammation.

Fats to Avoid for Better Health

A 2003 study linked elevated LDL cholesterol specifically to trans fats.

Replacing saturated fats with trans fats and carbohydrates from starchy or sugary foods increases cardiovascular risk by 1–5%.

Unlike saturated fats, trans fats raise the risk of death, ischemic events, and type 2 diabetes.

How Much Fat Is Safe to Consume?

To summarize:

1. Saturated fats are safe when consumed within daily calorie limits and sourced from quality dairy and animal fats.
2. Exceeding the 10% saturated fat guideline is generally safe if fats come from healthy sources, except for individuals with high cholesterol.
3. If your diet consists of over 60% carbohydrates, reduce carb intake and increase fats to about 35%, with half potentially being saturated fats.
4. Incorporate more polyunsaturated fats, including essential omega-3 and omega-6 from plant oils, nuts, and fish.
5. Avoid trans fats found abundantly in fast food, chips, commercial baked goods, crackers, and margarine. Be cautious reading labels to avoid margarine when seeking butter.

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