Fat

Fat is good. We need fat. Sure. However, there is a BIG difference between the types of fat that we can eat: saturated fat is ALWAYS bad for you, while mono- and poly-unsaturated fats have plenty of benefits. This page includes links that show the science behind the statement that you should avoid saturated fats, and that you should consume the unsaturated fats in moderate but adequate amounts.

The latest report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) in the U.K., published in August 2019, looked at the effect of saturated fat, and replacement of saturated fat with different nutrients on a number of health outcomes. Based on 47 systematic reviews and meta-analyses SACN concluded that:

• higher saturated fat consumption is linked to raised blood cholesterol
• higher intakes of saturated fat are associated with increased risk of heart disease
• saturated fats should be swapped with unsaturated fats
• there is no need to change current advice that saturated fat should not exceed around 10% of food energy.

We would argue that consuming 10% of your daily food intake as saturated fat is way too much. Indeed, if higher saturated fat consumption is linked to all kinds of health problems, then it makes sense to try to cut it out altogether, or at least as much as possible.