Saturated fatty acids can be synthesised by the body and are not considered essential fatty acids, hence there is no adequate or recommended intake limit set.^[1,3]

Dietary fats are derived from plant and animal sources; however, animal fats are known to be high in saturated fats and thus have a high melting point and are solid at room temperature. ^[1,2]

Hence it is recommended that individuals maintain their saturated fatty acid consumption as low as possible as it can increase the risk of chronic diseases. ^[2]

According to the most powerful and detailed study on dietary fat published by Harvard research, a 5% increase in saturated fats intake can increase the risk of overall mortality by 8%. ^[5,8]

Furthermore, replacing saturated fats with carbohydrates slightly reduce mortality risk. ^[5,8]

As per the World Health Organization guidelines, saturated fats should be less than 10 E% of total daily calorie intake, where E % is the percentage of total dietary energy (E%) or as ‘grams per day’ for adults. ^[3]

Mixtures of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in the diet are almost completely absorbed. ^[1,2]

It is also important to note that decreasing total fat intake while keeping saturated fats intake constant has no impact
on the LDL cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol). ^[3]

Saturated fatty acids are completely oxidised to carbon dioxide and water. ^[2]