What is saturated fat and how it is linked to heart disease?
Saturated fats are unhealthy fats that cause the body to make more cholesterol. Saturated fat is found mostly in foods that are of animal origin. Foods that are commonly high in saturated fat are fatty cuts of meat (beef, lamb, pork), poultry with the skin, whole and 2% milk and milk products, butter, cheese, and lard. Foods from plant sources that are high in saturated fat include palm kernel oil, palm oil, coconut oil and cocoa butter. Of all the fats you can eat, saturated fat has the most influence on blood cholesterol levels. Eating too much saturated fat can cause cholesterol levels to go up, increasing the risk of heart disease. Source: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute; http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/chdblack/smart1.
