Saturated fat is solid at room temperature, mostly found in foods such as red meats, some poultry, and pork, animal-based dairy products such as cheese and butter, and tropical oils like coconut oil. Saturated fat is well known for its ability to raise LDL or “bad” cholesterol in your blood, which can place you at risk for cardiovascular-related conditions.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend keeping total fat intake between 20-35% of your calories. This range accounts for individual needs based on factors such as age, gender, physical activity levels, and current health conditions. To further add, these guidelines recommend that <10% of your calories derive from saturated fat sources. The American Heart Association recommends even less around 5% to 6% with a general guideline of limiting the intake of saturated food sources as much as possible. Currently, there is no upper limit for saturated fat intake.
Here are a few ways to help you get started as you make efforts to be more mindful of your saturated fat intake:
- Strive for 5! Aim to consume at least 5 servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily.
- Choose more plant-based proteins. For example, start with making 1 meal a day a meatless meal.
- Remember “white, brown, pink” for animal protein sources.
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- “White” sources: fish, eggs, skinless chicken breast or turkey breast, pork loin. These animal meats are the lowest in saturated fat content. Choose these meats over other animal-based protein sources.
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- “Brown” sources: also known as your red meats such as beef or steak. Consider limiting to 2 servings a week.
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- “Pink” sources: these are your processed meats—hotdogs, ham, bologna, and salami. These tend to be highest in both saturated fat and sodium content so limit intake to occasional.