Saturated fats are found in multiple places, including beef, pork, lamb, poultry, cheese, milk, and butter. For years, people have been taught that saturated fats are bad because they can raise cholesterol levels, and increase the risk of heart problems. According to the American Heart Association, saturated fats should make up less than 7 percent of your total daily calorie intake. Instead of eating saturated fats, one should eat food that has monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat in them, such as beans, legumes, fish, and nuts.
Not everyone agrees. In 2013, cardiologist Aseem Malhotra came up with a new idea. According to his article in the British Medical Journal, saturated fats may not be as bad as researchers originally thought. According to his research, it isn’t the saturated fats that are causing heart problems and obesity, but sugar. He states that since the 1970s, when people were told to cut down on eating food high in saturated fats, obesity and heart problems have continued to grow. Since saturated fats were being taken out of food, Malhotra says, companies replaced them with sugar to make the food taste good.
This topic is one that is being taught both ways. Dr. Michael Eades supports the idea that saturated fats are beneficial in helping with stronger bones, a better immune system, and a healthier liver, lungs, and brain. However, researchers are still declaring that monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are healthier for you. For the present, it looks like we will have to choose for ourselves what to believe.