If you type “is saturated fat good for you” into Google, I bet I could tell you what you’d find. The simple answer – it’s bad. As someone who has always been a huge fan of milk, cheese, cream, butter, and just about anything else dairy or meat-related I could get my hands on, hearing this was an issue for me. But then I started listening to different people (you suck, Google). In particular, nutrition coach Kate Deering’s book, How To Heal Your Metabolism, and a 2022 study that unpacks all you need to know about the history of saturated fat. As it turns out, this macronutrient is not as bad as we think. To understand why we need to overlook everything we previously knew about saturated fats, we first need to learn about a man named Ancel Keys. I’m hoping you’re ready for another history lesson.
Ancel Keys ruined the world
Ancel Keys was a physiologist that created the diet-heart hypothesis. Now, the reason we look unfavourably upon Ancel is because he turned us away from the joy that is the consumption of saturated fat. In the 1950s, Ancel Keys introduced said hypothesis, indicating that there was a correlation between a high intake of saturated fat and heart disease. Keys gathered information from a few small feeding experiments he’d conducted, as well as observation during his travels. He noted that less wealthy populations in Sardinia, Naples, and Spain, seemed to suffer lower rates of heart attacks and consumed diets low in saturated fat-rich foods, like meat and dairy. In his Seven Countries Study, however, he failed to include data from countries like France and Germany – countries he knew would not support this hypothesis.
The power of influence
Despite Keys’ diet-heart hypothesis being based on weak, associational evidence, he had friends who voiced their support (specifically, influential cardiologist Paul Dudley White – the personal doctor of US President Eisenhower). In 1960, Keys became part of the American Heart Association (AHA)’s nutrition committee – not coincidentally, the organisation that White was a founder of. A year later, the diet-heart hypothesis became official AHA policy. Not only were people recommended to limit saturated fat intake, but they were also encouraged to replace them with polyunsaturated fats such as vegetable oil. It’s also important to mention that in 1948, the AHA received $1.7 million (a LOT of money back then) from Procter and Gamble, the creators of Crisco Oil – a company that manufactures vegetable oil. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know, right?
Why we should eat saturated fat
In Kate Deering’s book, How To Heal Your Metabolism, she explains that saturated fats are made up of single-bonded chains, making them stable, strong, and the ideal form of fat to cook with. Unlike poly- and monounsaturated fats, they don’t chemically break down when heated. Foods that contain saturated fats are coconut oil, meats, eggs, and dairy. (Most of these foods are also great sources of protein). Here are a few reasons why we can feel good about eating them (apart from the taste, obviously). One – they help regulate blood sugar by slowing the absorption of carbohydrates. Two – they contain essential fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, and K2 that are primarily found in animal products. Three – they decrease endotoxins (components of negative bacteria) in the gut, which improves our gut health and digestion. Four – they decrease body inflammation in comparison to poly- and monounsaturated fats.
How we should eat saturated fat
Now that we know it’s okay to eat saturated fat, let’s look at how to eat it. Because life is never that simple. All we’re talking about here is the source and the ingredients. When we look at butter, for example, we ideally want to eat grass-fed butter that has two ingredients – cream (from milk) and salt. The same goes for all other forms of dairy and meat – grass-fed with minimal ingredients. I’ve linked one of my favourite videos I first came across when learning about saturated fats. Dr. Cate Shanahan makes it easy to understand – “nature doesn’t make bad fats, factories do.” Having said this, it’s still important to remember that we can’t shove sticks of butter into our faces and expect to be healthy. A good ratio of fat to aim for is 20 – 30% of your total diet. Now go and enjoy your food, rightfully so.
Yours,
Kait x
Cover photo by Eva Bronzini