Why saturated fat is bad

If you want to reduce your risk of heart disease, it's best to reduce your overall fat intake and swap saturated fats for unsaturated fats.

There's good evidence that replacing saturated fats with some unsaturated fats can help to lower your cholesterol level. Mostly found in oils from plants and fish, unsaturated fats can be either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fats help protect your heart by maintaining levels of "good" HDL cholesterol while reducing levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol in your blood. Polyunsaturated fats can also help lower the level of "bad" LDL cholesterol in your blood.

Some types of omega-3 and omega-6 fats cannot be made by your body, which means it's essential to include small amounts of them in your diet. Most people get enough omega-6 in their diet, but it's recommended to have more omega-3 by eating at least 2 portions of fish each week, with 1 portion being an oily fish. Vegetable sources of omega-3 fats are not thought to have the same benefits on heart health as those found in fish. Find out more about healthy eating as a vegetarian.

The nutrition labels on food packaging can help you cut down on total fat and saturated fat also listed as "saturates", or "sat fat". Nutrition information can be presented in different ways on the front and back of packaging.

But if the type of food in question is usually high in fat, the lower fat version may still be a high-fat food Also, foods that are lower in fat are not necessarily lower in calories. Sometimes the fat is replaced with sugar and the food may end up having a similar energy content to the regular version. To be sure of the fat and energy content, remember to check the nutrition label on the packet.

Find out more about what food labelling terms mean , and how to get a balanced nutritious diet using the Eatwell Guide. Use the Change4Life Food Scanner app app to find healthier food choices when you're shopping. See more conditions.

Healthy Lifestyle Nutrition and healthy eating. Products and services. Dietary fat: Know which to choose Fat is an important part of your diet, but some kinds are healthier than others. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information.

Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Duyff RL. Fat facts. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Department of Health and Human Services and U. Department of Agriculture. Accessed Feb.

Dietary Reference Intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats. Accessed Oct. Hyperlipidemia adult. Mayo Clinic; The skinny on fats. American Heart Association. Sacks FM, et al. Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: A presidential advisory from the American Heart Association.

Bonow RO, et al. Nutrition and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Elsevier; Healthy diet adult. Hooper L, et al. Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Mozaffarian D. Dietary fat. Polyunsaturated fat. See our editorial policies and staff. Eat Smart. American Heart Association Cookbooks. Nutrition Basics. Healthy For Good: Spanish Infographics. What are saturated fats? Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature.

How do saturated fats affect my health? What foods contain saturated fat? Apply this general guidance regardless of where your food is prepared or consumed: Balance calorie intake with calorie needs to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Choose whole grains, lean and plant-based protein and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Limit salt, sugar, animal fat, processed foods and alcohol. What are alternatives to replace saturated fats in the foods I eat? Should I eat them or not?