Saturated fatty acids raise total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol...The most effective replacement for saturated fatty acids in terms of coronary heart disease outcome are polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic acid. This finding is supported by the results of several large randomized clinical trials, in which replacement of saturated and trans fatty acids by polyunsaturated vegetable oils lowered coronary heart disease risk.– World Health Organization, Population nutrient intake goals for preventing diet-related chronic diseases,5.4.4Diets high in saturated fat are correlated with an increased incidence of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease according to a number of studies, both African green monkeys and human. Some studies have suggested that diets high in saturated fat increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Epidemiological studies have found that those whose diets are high in saturated fatty acids, including lauric, myristic, palmitic, and stearic acid, had a higher prevalence of coronary heart disease.


Additionally, controlled experimental studies have found that people consuming high saturated fat diets experience negative cholesterol profile changes. A 2003 meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that diets high in saturated fat negatively affected cholesterol profiles — predictors of a heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases.Experiments in which subjects were randomly assigned to either a control or Merranean diet (which replaces saturated fat with mono and polyunsaturated fat) showed a significantly decreased likelihood of suffering a second heart attack, cardiac death, heart failure or stroke.Epidemiological studies of heart disease have implicated the four major saturated fatty acids to varying degrees. The World Health Organization has determined that there is "convincing" evidence that myristic and palmitic acid intake increases the probability, "possible" risk from lauric acid, and no increased risk at all from stearic acid consumption.

In a study published in 2001, erythrocyte membrane oleic and monounsaturated fatty acid content was positively associated with breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women, while no association was shown between saturated fatty acids and breast cancer risk. Enzyme ?9-desaturase catalyzes the conversion of stearic acid to oleic acid: there is a negative correlation between erythrocyte membrane oleic acid and dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids. Inverse relationship between Saturation Index (ratio of membrane stearic to oleic acid) and breast cancer risk could also be related to hormonal and metabolic factors and to interactions between them, as well as to dietary factors. Dietary recommendationsA 2004 statement released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) determined that "Americans need to continue working to reduce saturated fat intake..." Additionally, 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.

This concurs with similar conclusions made by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Department of Health and Human Services, both of which determined that reduction in saturated fat consumption would positively affect health and reduce the prevalence of heart disease.

Low-fat Diet

According to the USDA, a low-fat diet--as the name implies--is a diet that consists of little fat, especially saturated fat and cholesterol (which can lead to increased blood cholesterol levels and heart disease when existing in high levelscitation needed). It is imperative to know that some dietary fat is needed for good health though: fats supply energy and essential fatty acids, in addition to further enhancing the absorption of some fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. However, in recent years the exact health benefits of a low-fat diet have been debated. A 2006 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association argued that a low-fat diet did not reduce the incidence of breast cancer. However, this study was criticized by several epidemiologists for its lack of validity (see "Criticisms" in the Women's Health Initiative article). Recently, the Nurses' Health Study from the Harvard School of Public Health reported from a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and found that a diet "with high intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, moderate intake of legumes, nuts, and low-fat dairy products, and low intake of red and processed meats and sodium, was significantly associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke in women.

"Saturated fat is fat that consists of triglycerides containing only saturated fatty acids. ExplanationFat that occurs naturally in living matter contains varying proportions of saturated and unsaturated fat. Foods that contain a high proportion of saturated fat are butter, ghee, suet, tallow, lard, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, and palm kernel oil, dairy products (especially cream and cheese), meat, chocolate, and some prepared foods.There are several kinds of naturally occurring saturated fatty acids, their only difference being the number of carbon atoms - from 1 to 24. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between the carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain; hence, they are fully saturated with hydrogen atoms.While nutrition labels usually lump them together, 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, chocolate and nuts is primarily palmitic and stearic acid.saturated fat profile of common foods (percentage of total fat) Food Lauric acid Myristic acid Palmitic acid Stearic acid Examples of saturated fatty acidsSome common examples of fatty acids are:lauric acid with 12 carbon atoms (contained in coconut oil, palm oil and breast milkcitation needed, myristic acid with 14 carbon atoms (contained in cow milk and dairy products), palmitic acid with 16 carbon atoms (contained in palm oil, hence the name, and meat), stearic acid with 18 carbon atoms (also contained in meat and cocoa butter). Health issuesThe relationship between dietary fats and CVD, especially coronary heart disease, has been extensively investigated, with strong and consistent associations emerging from a wide body of evidence accrued from animal experiments, as well as observational studies, clinical trials and metabolic studies conducted in diverse human populations...