Copyright New York Post
You butter believe this plan would be popular with carnivores and MAHA acolytes. Foods like red meat, butter, cheese and cream have long been vilified because they are high in saturated fat, which is widely believed to raise cholesterol and cause heart disease. Now, it may be time to break out the steak knives. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to encourage higher saturated fat consumption in the new US dietary guidelines, which are updated every five years, The Hill reported. “HHS and USDA remain on track to release the final 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” an HHS spokesperson told The Post this week while declining to share the juicy details. Current US dietary guidelines suggest limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of daily calories, with the American Heart Association recommending an even lower intake of under 6% for most adults. Here’s everything to know about saturated fats as Kennedy steaks his reputation on the butter-loving, bacon-hugging glyceride. What is saturated fat? Fats are called “saturated” when their carbon chains are “saturated” with the maximum number of hydrogen atoms. This tightly-packed chemical structure is why saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature — and why they raise cholesterol. The straight, rigid chains of saturated fatty acids interfere with the body’s ability to clear cholesterol from the blood. Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, are typically liquid at room temperature due to their more flexible structure, which indirectly promotes cholesterol clearance from the blood. They are found predominantly in plants and fish. Which foods are high in saturated fat? Saturated fats are primarily found in animal products — like red meat, skin-on poultry, eggs and full-fat dairy — but they are also present in plant-based foods like coconut and palm oils. “Many whole foods have some amount of saturated fats, but some have more than others,” registered dietitian Sotiria Everett, a clinical assistant professor at Stony Brook Medicine, told The Post. “For example, butter and coconut oil are dietary sources that have more saturated fats, while canola oil and olive oil are lower in saturated fats and have more monounsaturated fats.” Many baked goods, fried foods, fast food, sweets and snacks are high in saturated fat because they contain dairy, fatty meats or tropical oils like palm or coconut oil. Is saturated fat bad for us? Despite the bad rap, saturated fat can be beneficial. For example, all dietary fats provide the body with energy. And fat is needed to produce hormones and absorb certain vitamins, like A, D, E and K. But saturated fat has been linked to higher cholesterol, which can lead to plaque buildup in arteries, restricting blood flow and raising the risk of heart attack and stroke. Excessive intake of saturated fat can also drive harmful inflammation in the body and increase the risk of obesity. All fats contain nine calories per gram — more than double the four calories per gram in protein and carbohydrates. “Frequently eating such foods can promote weight gain if intake isn’t balanced with physical activity,” Everett said. How much saturated fat should we be eating? Research indicates that the average US adult gets about 12% of their daily calories from saturated fat. Some experts say that’s too much, while others argue that the source of saturated fat is more important than the total amount. For example, full-fat yogurt contains saturated fat — as well as beneficial nutrients like calcium, protein and probiotics. “Being aware of what foods are high in saturated fat is important, and a moderate consumption as part of a heart-healthy diet may be OK,” Everett said. “Unprocessed meats in moderation and fermented sources of dairy, such as yogurt, may be included in diets where overall processed food intake is low.”
