Saturated fat explained

A saturated fat is a type of fat in which the fatty acid chains have all single bonds between the carbon atoms. A fat known as a glyceride is made of two kinds of smaller molecules: a short glycerol backbone and fatty acids that each contain a long linear or branched chain of carbon (C) atoms. Along the chain, some carbon atoms are linked by single bonds (-C-C-) and others are linked by double bonds (-C=C-).[1] A double bond along the carbon chain can react with a pair of hydrogen atoms to change into a single -C-C- bond, with each H atom now bonded to one of the two C atoms. Glyceride fats without any carbon chain double bonds are called saturated because they are "saturated with" hydrogen atoms, having no double bonds available to react with more hydrogen.

Most animal fats are saturated. The fats of plants and fish are generally unsaturated. Various foods contain different proportions of saturated and unsaturated. Many processed foods like foods deep-fried in hydrogenated oil and sausage are high in saturated fat content. Some store-bought baked goods are as well, especially those containing partially hydrogenated oils.[2] [3] [4] Other examples of foods containing a high proportion of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol include animal fat products such as lard or schmaltz, fatty meats and dairy products made with whole or reduced fat milk like yogurt, ice cream, cheese and butter.[5] Certain vegetable products have high saturated fat content, such as coconut oil and palm kernel oil.[6]

Guidelines released by many medical organizations, including the World Health Organization, have advocated for reduction in the intake of saturated fat to promote health and reduce the risk from cardiovascular diseases.

Fat profiles

While nutrition labels regularly combine them, the saturated fatty acids appear in different proportions among food groups. Lauric and myristic acids are most commonly found in "tropical" oils (e.g., palm kernel, coconut) and dairy products. The saturated fat in meat, eggs, cacao, and nuts is primarily the triglycerides of palmitic and stearic acids.

Food !! style="width:70pt;"
Lauric acid !Stearic acid
47% 18% 9% 3%
48% 1% 44% 5%
3% 11% 29% 13%
0% 4% 26% 15%
0% 1% 29% 3%
Egg yolks 0% 0.3% 27% 10%
Cashews 2% 1% 10% 7%
0% 0% 11% 4%
Cocoa butter[7] 1% 0–4% 24.5–33.7% 33.7–40.2%

Examples of saturated fatty acids

See main article: List of saturated fatty acids. Some common examples of saturated fatty acids:

Association with diseases

Cardiovascular disease

The effect of saturated fat on heart disease has been extensively studied.[8] Many health authorities, such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,[9] the British Dietetic Association,[10] American Heart Association,[11] the World Heart Federation,[12] the British National Health Service,[13] among others,[14] [15] advise that saturated fat is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. In 2020, the World Health Organization recommended lowering dietary intake of saturated fats to less than 10% of total energy consumption, and increasing intake of unsaturated fats.[16] There is moderate-quality evidence that reducing the proportion of saturated fat in the diet and replacing it with unsaturated fats or carbohydrates for a period of at least two years leads to a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease.

A 2017 review by the Sax Institute for the National Heart Foundation of Australia found that saturated fat consumption is associated with higher mortality and that replacement of saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat decreases risk of cardiovascular disease events and mortality.[17] In 2019, the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition concluded that higher saturated fat consumption is associated with raised blood cholesterol and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.[18]

A 2021 review found that diets high in saturated fat were associated with higher mortality from all causes, as well as from cardiovascular disease.[19]

A 2023 review by the World Health Organization found convincing evidence that higher saturated fat consumption is associated with higher coronary heart disease incidence and mortality.[20]

A 2023 review by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found moderate certainty evidence to support reducing saturated fat intake for reduced risk of CVD and CVD events.[21]

Dyslipidemia

See also: Lipid hypothesis. The consumption of saturated fat is generally considered a risk factor for dyslipidemia, which in turn is a risk factor for some types of cardiovascular disease.[22] [23] [24] [25] [26]

Abnormal blood lipid levels high total cholesterol, high levels of triglycerides, high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are associated with increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Meta-analyses have found a significant relationship between saturated fat and serum cholesterol levels.[11] [27] High total cholesterol levels, which may be caused by many factors, are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.[28] [29]

There are other pathways involving obesity, triglyceride levels, insulin sensitivity, endothelial function, and thrombogenicity, among others, that play a role in cardiovascular disease. Different saturated fatty acids have differing effects on various lipid levels.[30] There is strong evidence that lauric, myristic, and palmitic acids raise LDL-C, while stearic acid is more neutral.[31]

Type 2 diabetes

A 2022 review of cohort studies found that the risk of type 2 diabetes was not associated with dietary intake of total saturated fats, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. Dietary lauric acid and myristic acid, present in plant oils and also in dairy fat, were associated with reduced risk of diabetes.[32]

Cancer

Several reviews of case–control studies have found that saturated fat intake is associated with breast cancer risk and mortality.[33] [34] [35]

Observational studies have shown that a diet high in saturated fat increases the risk of prostate cancer.[36]

Dietary recommendations

Recommendations to reduce, limit or replace dietary intake of trans fats and saturated fats, in favor of unsaturated fats, are made by the World Health Organization, American Heart Association,[11] Health Canada,[37] the US Department of Health and Human Services,[38] the UK National Health Service,[39] the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition,[40] the Australian Department of Health and Aging,[41] the Singapore Ministry of Health,[42] the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,[43] the New Zealand Ministry of Health,[44] and Hong Kong's Department of Health.[45]

In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) expert consultation report concluded:[46]

A 2004 statement released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) determined that "Americans need to continue working to reduce saturated fat intake…"[47] In addition, reviews by the American Heart Association led the Association to recommend reducing saturated fat intake to less than 7% of total calories according to its 2006 recommendations.[48] [49] This concurs with similar conclusions made by the US Department of Health and Human Services, which determined that reduction in saturated fat consumption would positively affect health and reduce the prevalence of heart disease.[50]

The United Kingdom, National Health Service claims the majority of British people eat too much saturated fat. The British Heart Foundation also advises people to cut down on saturated fat, and to read labels on the food they buy.[51] [52] The British Nutrition Foundation have said that based on the totality of available evidence the saturated fatty acids should make up no more than 10% of total dietary energy.[53]

A 2004 review stated that "no lower safe limit of specific saturated fatty acid intakes has been identified" and recommended that the influence of varying saturated fatty acid intakes against a background of different individual lifestyles and genetic backgrounds should be the focus in future studies.[54]

Blanket recommendations to lower saturated fat were criticized at a 2010 conference debate of the American Dietetic Association for focusing too narrowly on reducing saturated fats rather than emphasizing increased consumption of healthy fats and unrefined carbohydrates. Concern was expressed over the health risks of replacing saturated fats in the diet with refined carbohydrates, which carry a high risk of obesity and heart disease, particularly at the expense of polyunsaturated fats which may have health benefits. None of the panelists recommended heavy consumption of saturated fats, emphasizing instead the importance of overall dietary quality to cardiovascular health.[55]

In a 2017 comprehensive review of the literature and clinical trials, the American Heart Association published a recommendation that saturated fat intake be reduced or replaced by products containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, a dietary adjustment that could reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 30%.[11]

Molecular description

The two-dimensional illustration has implicit hydrogen atoms bonded to each of the carbon atoms in the polycarbon tail of the myristic acid molecule (there are 13 carbon atoms in the tail; 14 carbon atoms in the entire molecule).

Carbon atoms are also implicitly drawn, as they are portrayed as intersections between two straight lines. "Saturated," in general, refers to a maximum number of hydrogen atoms bonded to each carbon of the polycarbon tail as allowed by the Octet Rule. This also means that only single bonds (sigma bonds) will be present between adjacent carbon atoms of the tail.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Reece . Jane . Biology . Campbell, Neil . Benjamin Cummings . 2002 . 978-0-8053-6624-2 . San Francisco . 69–70 . registration.
  2. Web site: 2014 . Saturated fats . 1 March 2014 . American Heart Association.
  3. Web site: 2014 . Top food sources of saturated fat in the US . 1 March 2014 . Harvard University School of Public Health.
  4. Web site: 2020 . Saturated, Unsaturated, and Trans Fats . choosemyplate.gov.
  5. Web site: 2020 . Saturated Fat . American Heart Association.
  6. Web site: 2015 . What are "oils"? . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150609080528/http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/oils.html . 9 June 2015 . 13 June 2015 . ChooseMyPlate.gov, US Department of Agriculture.
  7. Kumar . Vijay . 2014 . Cocoa Butter and its Alternatives . Journal of Bioresource Engineering and Technology . 1 . 7–17.
  8. Hooper . Lee . Martin . Nicole . Jimoh . Oluseyi F. . Kirk . Christian . Foster . Eve . Abdelhamid . Asmaa S. . 21 August 2020 . Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease . The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews . 2020 . 8 . CD011737 . 10.1002/14651858.CD011737.pub3 . 8092457 . 32827219.
  9. Kris-Etherton PM, Innis S . September 2007 . Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Dietary Fatty Acids . Journal of the American Dietetic Association . 107 . 9 . 1599–1611 [1603] . 10.1016/j.jada.2007.07.024 . 17936958.
  10. Web site: Food Fact Sheet - Cholesterol . 3 May 2012 . British Dietetic Association. https://web.archive.org/web/20101122215655/https://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/cholesterol.pdf . 22 November 2010 .
  11. Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JH, Appel LJ, Creager MA, Kris-Etherton PM, Miller M, Rimm EB, Rudel LL, Robinson JG, Stone NJ, Van Horn LV . July 2017 . Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association . Circulation . 136 . 3 . e1–e23 . 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000510 . 28620111 . free . 367602.
  12. Web site: 30 May 2017 . Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors . 3 May 2012 . World Heart Federation.
  13. Web site: 14 April 2020 . Fat: the facts . National Health Service.
  14. Web site: 22 December 2009 . Nutrition Facts at a Glance – Nutrients: Saturated Fat . 3 May 2012 . Food and Drug Administration. https://web.archive.org/web/20100128112635/https://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ConsumerInformation/ucm192658.htm . 28 January 2010 .
  15. Web site: 25 March 2010 . Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fats, including saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol . 3 May 2012 . European Food Safety Authority.
  16. Web site: 29 April 2020 . Healthy diet: key facts . 6 July 2021 . World Health Organization.
  17. https://web.archive.org/web/20231103221354/https://www.saxinstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Dietary-fats-CVD-FINAL.pdf "Evidence Check: Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease"
  18. Web site: SACN's 'Saturated fats and health' Report | The Nutrition Society . 30 December 2022 . www.nutritionsociety.org.
  19. Kim . Y . Youjin . J . Giovannucii . EL . 2021 . Association between dietary fat intake and mortality from all-causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies . Clinical Nutrition . 40 . 3 . 1060–1070 . 10.1016/j.clnu.2020.07.007 . 32723506 . 220852791.
  20. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/366301/9789240061668-eng.pdf "Saturated fat and trans-fat intakes and their replacement with other macronutrients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies"
  21. Johnson SA, Kirkpatrick CF, Miller NH, Carson JAS, Handu D, Moloney L.. 2023. Saturated Fat Intake and the Prevention and Management of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults: An Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence-based Nutrition Practice Guideline. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. S2212-2672. 23. 01285–6. 10.1016/j.jand.2023.07.017. 37482268. 260103619 .
  22. Web site: Position Statement on Fat . 25 January 2011.
  23. Web site: 2003 . Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20030404172324/http://www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/who_fao_expert_report.pdf . 4 April 2003 . 11 March 2011 . World Health Organization.
  24. Web site: Cholesterol . 28 February 2011 . Irish Heart Foundation.
  25. Book: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 . December 2010 . U.S. Government Printing Office . 7th . Washington, DC.
  26. Book: Cannon . Christopher . Critical Pathways in Cardiovascular Medicine . O'Gara . Patrick . Lippincott Williams & Wilkins . 2007 . 9780781794398 . 2nd . 243 . vanc.
  27. Clarke R, Frost C, Collins R, Appleby P, Peto R . 1997 . Dietary lipids and blood cholesterol: quantitative meta-analysis of metabolic ward studies . BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) . 314 . 7074 . 112–7 . 10.1136/bmj.314.7074.112 . 2125600 . 9006469.
  28. Bucher HC, Griffith LE, Guyatt GH . February 1999 . Systematic review on the risk and benefit of different cholesterol-lowering interventions . Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology . 19 . 2 . 187–195 . 10.1161/01.atv.19.2.187 . 9974397 . free.
  29. Lewington S, Whitlock G, Clarke R, Sherliker P, Emberson J, Halsey J, Qizilbash N, Peto R, Collins R . December 2007 . Blood cholesterol and vascular mortality by age, sex, and blood pressure: a meta-analysis of individual data from 61 prospective studies with 55,000 vascular deaths . Lancet . 370 . 9602 . 1829–39 . 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61778-4 . 18061058 . 54293528.
  30. Book: Atherosclerosis: Diet and Drugs . Thijssen MA, Mensink RP . Springer . 2005 . 978-3-540-22569-0 . Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology . 170 . 165–94 . Fatty acids and atherosclerotic risk . 10.1007/3-540-27661-0_5 . 16596799 . 170.
  31. Book: Gropper, Sareen S. . Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism . Cengage Learning . 2018 . 978-1-305-62785-7 . Seventh . Boston . 153.
  32. Gaeini . Zahra . Bahadoran . Zahra . Mirmiran . Parvin . 3 September 2022 . Saturated Fatty Acid Intake and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: An Updated Systematic Review and Dose–Response Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies . Advances in Nutrition . 13 . 6 . 2125–2135 . 10.1093/advances/nmac071 . 36056919. 9776642 .
  33. Xia . H . Ma . S . Wang . S . Sun . G. . 2015 . Meta-Analysis of Saturated Fatty Acid Intake and Breast Cancer Risk . Medicine . 94 . 52 . e2391 . 10.1097/MD.0000000000002391 . 5291630 . 26717389.
  34. Brennan . SF . Woodside . JV . Lunny . PM . Cardwell . CR . Cantwell . MM. . 2017 . Dietary fat and breast cancer mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis . Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition . 57 . 10 . 1999–2008 . 10.1080/10408398.2012.724481 . 25692500 . 34098509.
  35. Dandamudi . A . Tommie . J . Nommsen-Rivers . L . Couch . S. . 2018 . Dietary Patterns and Breast Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review . Anticancer Research . 38 . 6 . 3209–3222 . 10.21873/anticanres.12586 . 29848668 . 44149964. free .
  36. Gathirua-Mwangi . Wambui G. . Zhang . Jianjun . 2014 . Dietary factors and risk for advanced prostate cancer . European Journal of Cancer Prevention . 23 . 2 . 96–109 . 10.1097/CEJ.0b013e3283647394 . 4091618 . 23872953.
  37. Web site: 10 October 2018 . Choosing foods with healthy fats . 24 September 2019 . Health Canada.
  38. Web site: Cut Down on Saturated Fats . 24 September 2019 . United States Department of Health and Human Services.
  39. Web site: 27 April 2018 . Fat: the facts . 24 September 2019 . United Kingdom's National Health Service.
  40. Web site: Saturated Fats and Health . 26 July 2021 . Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN)..
  41. Web site: 24 September 2012 . Fat . 24 September 2019 . Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council and Department of Health and Ageing.
  42. Web site: Getting the Fats Right! . 24 September 2019 . Singapore's Ministry of Health.
  43. Web site: Health Diet . 24 September 2019 . India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
  44. Web site: Making healthier food choices . 3 June 2021 . New Zealand's Ministry of Health.
  45. Web site: Know More about Fat . 24 September 2019 . Hong Kong's Department of Health.
  46. Book: Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases (WHO technical report series 916) . World Health Organization . 2003 . 978-92-4-120916-8 . 81–94 . 4 April 2016.
  47. Web site: 2004 . Trends in Intake of Energy, Protein, Carbohydrate, Fat, and Saturated Fat — United States, 1971–2000 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081201152506/http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/mmwrnews/n040206.htm#mmwr2 . 1 December 2008 . Centers for Disease Control.
  48. Lichtenstein AH, Appel LJ, Brands M, Carnethon M, Daniels S, Franch HA, Franklin B, Kris-Etherton P, Harris WS, Howard B, Karanja N, Lefevre M, Rudel L, Sacks F, Van Horn L, Winston M, Wylie-Rosett J . July 2006 . Diet and lifestyle recommendations revision 2006: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association Nutrition Committee . Circulation . 114 . 1 . 82–96 . 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.176158 . 16785338 . free . 647269.
  49. Smith SC, Jackson R, Pearson TA, Fuster V, Yusuf S, Faergeman O, Wood DA, Alderman M, Horgan J, Home P, Hunn M, Grundy SM . June 2004 . Principles for national and regional guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention: a scientific statement from the World Heart and Stroke Forum . Circulation . 109 . 25 . 3112–21 . 10.1161/01.CIR.0000133427.35111.67 . 15226228 . free.
  50. Web site: 2005 . Dietary Guidelines for Americans . United States Department of Agriculture.
  51. Web site: 26 March 2020 . Eat less saturated fat . 1 November 2021 . Nhs.uk.
  52. Web site: Fats explained . British Heart Foundation.
  53. Web site: Fat - British Nutrition Foundation . 30 December 2022 . www.nutrition.org.uk . en.
  54. German JB, Dillard CJ . September 2004 . Saturated fats: what dietary intake? . American Journal of Clinical Nutrition . 80 . 3 . 550–559 . 10.1093/ajcn/80.3.550 . 15321792 . free.
  55. Zelman . K . Kathleen Zelman . 2011 . The Great Fat Debate: A Closer Look at the Controversy—Questioning the Validity of Age-Old Dietary Guidance . Journal of the American Dietetic Association . 111 . 5 . 655–658 . 10.1016/j.jada.2011.03.026 . 21515106.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Saturated fat".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.