Heart health
Foods low in Saturated fat
Fatty acids with no double bonds, solid at room temperature. UK & EU labels surface this because high intake is associated with raised LDL cholesterol.
Looking for what Saturated fat is and where it comes from? See the Saturated fat overview.
Why eat low saturated fat?
The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to under 6% of daily calories, about 13 g on a 2,000-calorie diet. The UK NHS guidance is broadly similar: under 20 g per day for men, 30 g for women. The motivation is blood-cholesterol management and long-term cardiovascular risk, not weight per se.
Major sources to limit include red and processed meats, full-fat dairy (especially cheese and butter), coconut oil, palm oil, and many baked or fried packaged snacks. Healthier replacements emphasise monounsaturated and omega-3 fats: olive oil, avocados, oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), nuts, and seeds.
Not all saturated fat behaves identically, some research suggests dairy-fat saturated acids differ from meat-fat saturated acids in their cholesterol impact, and chocolate's stearic acid is relatively neutral. The current consensus still favours overall reduction for cardiovascular risk, but the picture is more nuanced than "all saturated fat is bad".
Similar to Mutton, shoulder, raw, lowest in saturated fat first
- Tortilla, includes plain and from mutton sandwich (Navajo) 0.3g per 100 grams
- Stew, hominy with mutton (Navajo) 0.73g per 100 grams
- Mutton, all cuts, lean, raw 1.33g per 100 grams
- Lamb or mutton, rice, and vegetables including carrots, broccoli, and/or dark-green leafy; tomato-based sauce 1.54g per 100 grams
- Lamb or mutton, rice, and vegetables including carrots, broccoli, and/or dark-green leafy; gravy 1.64g per 100 grams
- Lamb or mutton, rice, and vegetables excluding carrots, broccoli, and dark-green leafy; gravy 1.65g per 100 grams
- Stew, dumpling with mutton (Navajo) 1.71g per 100 grams
- Stew, mutton, corn, squash (Navajo) 1.74g per 100 grams
- Lamb or mutton and potatoes with tomato-based sauce 1.81g per 100 grams
- Lamb or mutton and noodles with gravy 1.9g per 100 grams
- Lamb or mutton and potatoes with gravy 1.94g per 100 grams
- Mutton, all cuts, lean, cooked 2.72g per 100 grams
Common questions
- What is the daily limit for saturated fat?
- The American Heart Association recommends under 6% of daily calories, about 13 g on a 2,000-calorie diet. The UK NHS guidance is up to 20 g/day for women and 30 g/day for men. These are upper limits, not targets; lower intakes are generally fine.
- Is coconut oil bad for you?
- Coconut oil is roughly 90% saturated fat, much higher than butter (~50%) or olive oil (~14%). Despite some marketing claims, coconut oil raises LDL cholesterol similarly to other saturated fats in controlled studies. It's not toxic, but using it freely as a "healthy" oil substitute isn't supported by current evidence. Olive, avocado, or canola oil are better default cooking fats for heart health.
- Are eggs okay on a low-saturated-fat diet?
- Yes, in moderation. An egg has about 1.5 g of saturated fat, well within a daily allowance for most people. Egg yolks are higher in dietary cholesterol than saturated fat. For people without high LDL or familial hypercholesterolaemia, 1-2 eggs daily fits most heart-healthy diets.
- What about saturated fat in cheese and dairy?
- Hard cheeses are high in saturated fat (~20 g/100 g for cheddar), but emerging research suggests dairy-fat saturated acids may have different metabolic effects than meat-fat saturated acids. Current guidance still favours moderation. Lower-fat dairy options (skim or 1% milk, low-fat cottage cheese, plain Greek yoghurt) keep dairy nutrition while reducing saturated fat substantially.