Saturated fat: how much per day, and the easiest swaps

Saturated fat is one of the few numbers on a label that heart health groups have watched for decades. You don’t need to cut it to zero. A handful of swaps in the foods you eat most often usually does the job, and a healthy diet may help reduce the risk of heart disease.

How much saturated fat is OK per day?

The American Heart Association suggests less than 6% of your calories. On 2,000 calories a day, that’s about 13 g.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans set a wider limit, no more than 10% of calories. The FDA uses 20 g as the Daily Value on food labels.

Why does saturated fat matter?

Eating too much can raise LDL cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

That’s how the AHA puts it. A 2017 AHA advisory reviewed the research and found that what you replace saturated fat with matters as much as cutting it. Swapping it for unsaturated fats, especially from vegetable oils, was linked with less heart disease. Swapping it for refined carbs and sugar was not.

Which foods have the most saturated fat?

Fatty meats, full-fat dairy, butter, and tropical oils like coconut and palm.

The AHA’s list also includes poultry skin, lard, cream, cheese, ice cream, and some baked and fried foods.

Rounded USDA FoodData Central values. Your label is the final word.

One tablespoon of coconut oil is close to the AHA’s whole day on 2,000 calories.

What are the easiest swaps?

Change the fat you cook with, then the cut of meat, then the dairy.

Rounded USDA values. A few more that work in most kitchens:

• Use beans, lentils, fish or nuts for some of the meat. The AHA suggests this directly. Half beef, half lentils in a chili or bolognese is an easy start.
• Roast and sauté in oil. Vegetables roasted with olive oil taste just as good as with butter.
• Use strong cheese, less of it. A little Parmesan or feta goes a long way.
• Cook at home with leaner cuts and trim visible fat before cooking.

Should I replace fat with low-fat processed foods?

Not usually. Swap toward unsaturated fats and whole foods, not toward refined carbs and sugar.

The 2017 AHA advisory found that replacing saturated fat with mostly refined carbs and sugars was not linked with less heart disease. A low-fat cookie isn’t a heart-healthy swap. Olive oil, nuts, avocado, fish, beans and whole grains are.

Is it all about saturated fat?

No. Your overall eating pattern matters most.

The AHA reminds readers that saturated fat is one piece of the puzzle. More vegetables, fruit and whole grains, plus less salt and sugar, matter too. Patterns like DASH bring these together. For the fiber side, see fiber for heart health.

How does Imi help?

Imi keeps saturated fat under 6% of your calories, the AHA limit, and shows it at the top of Home.

On the heart health focus, Imi also keeps a daily fiber floor of 14 g per 1,000 kcal. Ask it to “Swap the butter in this recipe” and it remakes the dish with olive oil, leaner cuts, or beans and oats where they fit. Ask “Which of my meals is highest in saturated fat?” to see where it comes from. Cholesterol results you add sit alongside your meals with your resting heart rate from Apple Health. Imi never interprets them.

See what Imi plans for heart health, or try the saturated fat label checker.