12 Reasons Why Saturated Fat is Good for You
by Vin Miller
For more than half a century, saturated fat has been regarded as a deadly nutrient that clogs your arteries and causes heart disease. However, when you consider the fact that we’ve been eating saturated fat for millions of years, it just doesn’t make sense that it could be so unhealthy.
Modern science often neglects the importance of nature and this is one of the more prominent examples. Many reputable sources of information are now revealing that we’ve been misled and saturated fat does not cause heart disease. In fact, the “heart healthy” vegetable oils that we’ve been told to use instead of saturated fat pose a much more significant risk.
What is Saturated Fat?
All fatty acids are molecules consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Carbon atoms have the capability of forming single, double, or triple bonds with other carbon atoms, and it is primarily this characteristic that distinguishes a fatty acid as saturated or unsaturated. Double and triple bonds are much more reactive and unstable than single bonds which can have significant implications for the fatty acid molecules that contain them.
Unsaturated fatty acids are characterized by having one or more double bonds while saturated fatty acids only have single bonds. This is why saturated fats are much more stable than unsaturated fats. Because of this difference in bonding, unsaturated fatty acid molecules tend to have a bent shape while saturated fatty acid molecules are straight. For this reason, fats that are more saturated tend to be more dense and are typically solid at room temperature.
Based on the number of carbon atoms in a saturated fatty acid, it is considered to be either short chain, medium chain, or long chain. As such, there is a variety of different saturated fatty acids and they each have a varying level of importance in the function of the human body.
Despite the bad reputation that saturated fat has undeservedly earned, it supports many of the body’s critical functions. The following are 12 reasons why saturated fat is an essential part of a healthy diet.
1. Physical Protection
Because saturated fat is dense and is able to remain solid at body temperature, it’s used to pad bony surfaces such as the palms, soles, and sitting bones and cushion vital organs such as the heart, kidneys, and intestines.
2. A Good Source of Energy
Fat contains more than twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates and protein making it an efficient source of energy. When consumed, fat can be used immediately for energy or stored for later use. Saturated fat accounts for nearly half of our body fat and can be produced by the body from excess carbohydrate consumption. This ability to produce and store body fat is what enabled our prehistoric ancestors to survive long winters and avoid starvation.
The heart, the liver, and resting muscles consume most of the energy used by the body and prefer fat as their source of fuel. In fact, the saturated fats stearic acid and palmitic acid are the preferred source of energy for the heart which is a major contradiction to the idea that saturated fat causes heart disease.
Unlike most other fats, short and medium chain fatty acids such as caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid and lauric acid are easily absorbed through the intestines without the need to be broken down by bile acids. They’re transported directly to the liver, and as such, are an excellent and quick source of energy. Coconut oil and palm kernel oil are both abundant sources of medium chain fatty acids, particularly lauric acid.
3. Safe Cooking
The high temperatures of cooking can easily damage fats and oils and make them a health concern. This is especially the case with unsaturated fats because of their shared bonds. Polyunsaturated fats are the most unstable, and when exposed to the high temperatures of cooking, they easily become oxidized and form free radicals that are highly damaging to cells. In fact, free radical damage from polyunsaturated fats is now believed to be a major contributor to atherosclerosis and heart disease. As such, the polyunsaturated vegetable oils that have been pushed as “heart healthy” alternatives, such as soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, and canola oil, are anything but, especially for cooking. These oils are also commonly used in restaurants and in the manufacturing of processed foods.
Fats that contain a higher percentage of saturated fatty acids, such as butter, coconut oil, and palm oil, are excellent to cook with because they’re very stable and are also highly nutritious.
4. Healthy Brain and Nervous System Function
More than half of the human brain consists of fat and cholesterol, and between a third to more than half of the fat in the brain is saturated. Both saturated fat and cholesterol represent a significant portion of the myelin sheath that surrounds nerve fibers and preserves proper function of the brain and nervous system. If this protective layer is compromised in any way, it can lead to a number of neurological disorders.
5. A Source of Fat Soluble Vitamins
Saturated animal fats are an excellent source of fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, and K2 which are essential for good health and are deficient in most diets. These vitamins are important to immunity, gene expression, bone production, and many other critical functions.
6. Healthy Cell Function
According to Bruce Lipton, a cell biologist and the author of The Biology of Belief, the cell membrane regulates gene expression based on its surroundings and has a significant influence on our health and wellbeing. Saturated fat constitutes more than half of the cell membrane, and as such, contributes greatly to this influence. Because saturated fat increases the strength of cell membranes, it also provides cells with physical protection.
7. Strong Bones
According to research cited from Purdue University, saturated fat is essential to proper bone development and it’s incorporation of calcium. The fat soluble vitamins D and K2 that can be obtained from saturated animal fats are critical for healthy bone development as well.
8. Protection Against Toxins
Research has shown that saturated fatty acids help to reverse liver damage caused by alcohol and other toxic substances. Because saturated fats produce fewer free radicals, they’re also less likely to cause liver damage and impair it’s detoxification capabilities.
9. Stronger Immunity
Short and medium chain saturated fatty acids, particularly the lauric acid found in coconut oil and palm kernel oil, have natural antimicrobial properties that can provide protection against undesirable microorganisms in the intestines and promote a healthy balance of intestinal bacteria. This is important because the intestines account for more than two thirds of the immune system and have a tremendous influence on our health.
10. Good Lung Capacity
The alveoli of the lungs, which are where gas exchange occurs with blood, are lined with a material called surfactant. This material is what enables the alveoli to expand and facilitates the ease of breathing. As such, saturated fat is essential to healthy lung function, and it’s believed that when trans fats are consumed and used by alvoli cells to produce surfactant, lung function can become compromised and lead to the development of asthma.
11. Resilient Skin
Saturated fat makes skin cells more resistant to oxidative damage from the sun which can help to prevent sunburn, wrinkles, and skin cancer.
12. Proper Utilization of Essential Fatty Acids
Essential fatty acids are criticial to our health, and because they cannot be produced by the body, they must be obtained through diet. Among the many ways in which they support optimal health, they are important for proper immune, brain, and cardiovascular function. Saturated fats are believed to play a key role in the importance of essential fatty acids by promoting their proper utilization and protecting them from oxidation.
Know Your Fats
Fats are an essential part of a healthy diet, and to truly promote optimal health, it’s important that you understand their importance. To learn more, I highly recommend that you read Know Your Fats by Mary Enig PhD. This book is an excellent resource that dispels much of the popular misinformation about the health impact of various fats, particularly saturated fat. Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon is another excellent resource that also doubles as a great recipe book.
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Great info.! I find it interesting that many foods now contain cottonseed oil. Since when is cotton a food product?
And after the low-fat craze, we have more heart disease than ever. I will stick to my organic butter, coconut oil and olive oil. Healthy fats are important.
Thanks, meatlessmama! I agree and personally use mostly ghee and coconut oil in addition to the animal fat that I eat. I’ve never had palm oil and would like to try that as well.
I agree completely! Anyone who still thinks all the low-fat propaganda is correct, take a look around at the state of people’s health and decide for yourself. We need some fat in our diet, including saturated. Coconut oil (virgin, raw, organic) is amazing stuff. It has antibacterial properties, is great as a moisturizer, and yummy!
Hempseed oil is great too, really high in Omega fatty acids. It’s amazing stuff, I love it on salads just with a squeeze of lemon and some Celtic or Himalayan sea salt – divine!
From my experience I think different people require different amounts of fat. Some bodies burn and digest fats easily, others (like mine) do not and so require smaller amounts. I consume the best fats – organic virgin raw coconut, olive and hempseed oil. It makes such a difference. If I go for the cheaper, less healthy stuff my body has a hard time coping with it.
Hi Donna, thank you for your comment! As you can see from my reply to Tamahome below, I completely agree that fat requirements are individual. I digest fat very easily and do quite well on a high protein and high fat diet.
The Recommended Daily Allowance for a 2000 calorie diet is <20g. Are you saying we should consume more than that?
Hi Tamahome,
I generally don’t like to count calories or grams, and in most cases, I don’t think it’s necessary. Based on the principles of Metabolic Typing, we all need to eat different amounts of fat. For example, I am a “Protein Type” which means that I do best on a high protein and high fat diet. I’m in tune with my body enough to know how much protein and fat to have in a meal to feel well, and however much this happens to be in grams is how much I eat. I estimate that I easily eat more than three times the RDA in saturated fat, but someone who is a “Carb Type” would do well with much less. However, even a Carb Type who eats natural whole foods is likely to exceed 20 grams of saturated fat just from a relatively small amount of animal fat and oil. To give you an idea of how easy it is to exceed the RDA, just one tablespoon of coconut oil contains 13 grams of saturated fat.
If this seems like a lot of saturated fat, keep in mind that the work of Weston A Price has shown us that primitive Eskimo and Indian cultures consumed significant amounts of it while enjoying excellent health.
Thanks for the info! I’ve often wondered how the FDA came up with RDA considering everyone is so different. Plus, the fact that so many diets tell you to cut out this or that, or load up on this or that makes it hard to know what one should do. Thanks for the link on Metabolic Typing, too. I bookmarked it so I could read more about it later.
You’re welcome, Tamahome! In many cases, RDAs are based on the minimum amount of a nutrient needed to avoid disease which is obviously a lot different than what is needed for optimal health. For example, the RDA for vitamin D is pretty much based on how much is needed to prevent rickets.
Just a note. I don’t know of any unsaturated fats that contain an alkyne (triple bond).
The unsaturated (double) bond can be hydrolyzed by enzymes in the body, which makes them more readily processed and converted to other compounds necessary for bodily function. Having said that, its certainly true that not all saturated fats are bad. Simply from the perspective of cooking, they tend to have the greatest longevity and heat stability due precisely to the absence of a double bond.
Hi Greg, thanks for imparting your chemistry knowledge on us!
I don’t know of any either, but I’ve found a number of definitions that define unsaturated fat as a fatty acid with one or more double or triple bonds. I assume this must be based on the definition of an unsaturated compound in general. When Mary Enig speaks of unsaturated fats, she only mentions double bonds.
That is a lot of useful information, because we only ever hear about the bad side I had never really given it a second thought that it could be important to our bodies. I am now going to read your metabolic type article as I read your comment back to Tamahome, hopefully I can have a better understanding of where I am and who I am to actually boost my weight loss.
Hi Sally, thank you for your comment! I suggest that you focus on eating for optimal health and let an excellent diet take care of the weight loss naturally. I lost 30 pounds in 3 months by doing nothing more than following a very clean diet and living a healthier lifestyle in general. Improving my health was my only intention and the weight loss was a natural byproduct. Losing weight with your health as your top priority also makes it effortless to keep the weight off. Although there’s nothing wrong with doing a little extra to boost weight loss, such as periodic high intensity interval training, I think it’s important to be sure that you’re not sacrificing your health for appearance.
I absolutely hate the taste of coconut oil. I’ve tried a few brands. Should I try a different brand or a different type of oil? Just do not care for coconut flavor.
Hi Peg, when I first tried coconut oil it was way too strong for me. But then I started using very small amounts in things that otherwise had a very strong taste.
I made my own raw chocolates – made from all raw ingredients (yummy and healthy!), I don’t think I posted the recipe on my blog yet, but I will be doing that (have some catching up to do) if you are interested. Because the cacao was such a strong taste, and it was all so yummy I found myself really getting used to the taste of the coconut oil. Then I heard that it was really good for dental health to rub coconut oil into your gums, so I started doing that and I must say it’s really quite pleasant to me now.
I also started using it as a moisturizer, on my hands, face and lips. I think the processed coconut oils are a bit drying, but the raw, virgin ones are really nice. I don’t find them drying and they absorb right into your skin without leaving it too oily. I think it helped with me getting used to the taste, because smell and taste are so closely associated. Especially when I used it as a lip balm because I was tasting a bit of it too.
I think different brands are likely to taste different – especially if they are processed differently. I’d look out for raw oils since heat really alters the health benefits especially with oils and fats.
I hope that helps, because it’s really good for you. Just take it as slowly as you need to, and in very small amounts to start and I think you will get used to it.
Hi Peg,
Donna made some great suggestions and I completely agree with her comments regarding quality. You should use organic unrefined coconut oil that is cold pressed. I suggest that you melt it and try using it as a sauce in small amounts. As with many natural foods, the taste will likely grow on you. For many of us, our sense of taste has been seriously altered by processed foods. If you still don’t like it after giving it more of a chance, perhaps you might like palm kernel oil. I haven’t tried it myself, but it offers many of the same benefits as coconut oil.
The science that says saturated fats are bad just doesn’t make sense. Heart disease and cancer etc all increased when people stopped eating butter and started eating margarine. We have the most unhealthy population of all time at the moment because society has been pursuing this insane idea.
I’m a paleo diet and coconut oil man myself.
Hi Thomas, thanks for your comment! I agree, it doesn’t make any sense, and as you said, the incidence of heart disease actually increased as more people began using polyunsaturated vegetable oils. What’s sad about this is that it all started with politics and manipulated research.
I agree completely. I’m sure like me you have little or no faith in politics, so we can see through their charade. It’s frustrating when people assume that the government has their best interests at heart, so they put their faith in the FDA.
I’ve never had much faith in politics but didn’t fully realize how much deception exists until I began reading a lot about health and nutrition. It was quite a shock, and having been affected considerably from the poor standards of modern health and nutrition, it made me pretty angry and is one of the reasons why I started this site.
As you mentioned, some people are unwilling to trust anyone other than an authoritative body such as the FDA, but I think that there are also many open minded people who simply aren’t fully aware of what’s going on. Spreading awareness to these people is one of the greatest opportunities we have to provoke change.
Wonderful article. I am going to make sure this is linked to our weight loss blog.
Thanks, Dottie! I appreciate your support!
What do you think about a no red meat diet? I stopped eating red meats and pork about a little over a year ago.(Im not overweight) I just thought it would be healthier because of what Ive been hearing that red meat is tougher on ur digestive system. the pork just seems like a nasty food so i stopped eating it. I now only eat chicken and turkey(i know about the sometimes conditions these animals are kept Im looking into organic chicken and turkey currently). the science of the unsaturated fats makes sense so after a little more research i think ill switch back to butter(my fiancee is going to be saying told u so) what do you recommend for someone that is trying to lose chin fat? Thanks for the article
oh another thing I always thought that your body will consume muscle before it consumes body fat(puggy stomach) thats why starving yourself isnt healthly is this true? im asking all these weight questions because my fiancee is trying to get back to a size 0 currently a size 8(weight put on after taking birth control pills)
Hi Cheta,
I don’t make any attempt to avoid red meat and eat just as much beef as I do any other meat. Based on the premise of nutritional individuality, we all have different capacities for digesting meat, and the health of one’s digestive system can play a significant role as well. I can digest plenty of red meat without a problem, but my wife is much different. Whether you choose to eat red meat or not, it’s definitely a good idea to make sure it’s pasture raised.
As long as you have sufficient protein in your diet and aren’t overexercising, you shouldn’t have to worry about losing muscle. In regard to losing chin fat, you can’t choose where fat comes and goes. The best that you can do is follow a healthy lifestyle and let your body naturally choose where it will shed fat. If you continue to live healthily, you should eventually reach your ideal body weight.
Hopefully your fiance has chosen to no longer take birth control pills. They contain synthetic hormones which are potentially dangerous and can contribute to hormone imbalance.
Coconut oil is one example of good saturated fat. Because of its medium chain fatty acid, it does not need to go through the liver and so it’s easily digested.
BEWARE of what some “breast cancer support sites” tweet! Some of them give you misinfo! Like this tweet here.
Hi Kelly, thank you for your comment! Yes, coconut oil is an excellent saturated fat for many reasons.
I’m grateful to anyone who shares my articles, even if it’s in disagreement.
Too many web sites are promoting coconut oil, palm oil and soy bean oil. All of these oils will eventually harm you. I only use olive and grape seed oil. I do not use saturated oils, butters, margarines, Trans fats (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils), any processed soy product, and vegetable oils like cotton seed, corn, and canola. Three years ago I switched to olive and grape seed oil. It has made such a change to my body, it lowered my total cholesterol over 100 points and I do not eat oat meal or take meds. My blood pressure is now 60 over 105 it was 90 over 135. I now have a pulse of 58. I am over 40 years old. My doctor is baffled how I achieved this with out meds. I mostly eat egg whites, chicken, turkey, lean pork, some fish – not too much because of mercury, vegetables, fruits, rice, home made bread, and my favorite chocolate peanut butter muffins only sweetened with apple sauce! I avoid eating out, you cannot control what’s in that food. I do not eat deli meats, hot dogs, and bacon, all have high sodium and nitrates that can cause colon and prostate cancers. I do not eat soy products because they cause hormone issues and inflammation of arteries around the heart. I also do not drink tap water because it contains chlorine and high amounts of iron which can be harmful if you have hemochromotosis – genetic disorder that goes undetected by most doctors in the U.S. that makes the body store too much iron and will eventually kill you by the time your in your 50’s and is usually misdiagnosed as either a heart attach or liver cancer
Hi Scott, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Keep in mind that there is no correlation between the intake of natural saturated fat and high cholesterol levels or heart disease. If you doubt this, I highly suggest that you read The Cholesterol Myths by Dr. Uffe Ravnskov. Since this book is sometimes unavailable, you could also read his other book Fat and Cholesterol are Good for You, or you can read The Great Cholesterol Con by Dr. Malcom Kendrick.
I agree with you that it’s best to avoid soy (unless fermented) because of the enzyme inhibitors, phytic acid, and phytoestrogens that it contains and because it’s often genetically modified and heavily sprayed with pesticides. However, I certainly don’t agree that coconut oil and palm oil are harmful. If you’re willing to reconsider your stance on saturated fats, I recommend that you read about how they’ve contributed to the exceptional health of many traditional cultures. A great place to start is the excellent work of Dr. Weston A. Price.
As you probably know, many people are consuming an excessive amount of omega 6 essential fatty acids in relation to omega 3. Among the many problems this can cause, it promotes inflammation and increases the risk of heart disease. The grape seed oil that you’re praising in favor of coconut oil and palm oil is three quarters linoleic acid which is an omega 6 fatty acid. It’s also important to realize that oils that contain mostly polyunsaturated fats, as is the case with grape seed oil, are very unstable and susceptible to oxidation and rancidity. This too increases the risk of heart disease and other health issues. For a better understanding of fats and oils, I suggest reading the book referenced in this article, Know Your Fats by Mary Enig PhD.
Assuming you have your blood pressure numbers reversed, 105/60 is actually somewhat low and is not necessarily desirable. For example, it could potentially be an indication of adrenal fatigue. In regard to both blood pressure and cholesterol, too many people make the mistake of thinking lower is always better without realizing that low levels can be bad too.
Hi. Just came across this article in researching sat. fat. If it is indeed, good for you, on what standpoint is the FDA, or whoever started this, basing the fact that sat. fat is BAD for you? And if it is NOT, why are there so many people concerned w/high cholesterol? My parents take a lowering cholesterol medication… so what does high cholesterol actually do to the body to make it life-threatening?
And, does saturated fat make you FAT? I’ve heard mono-unsat. are better than poly-unsat. fat as well.
Even on hospital websites, we are told how bad sat. fats are. So, based on the few articles I’ve read (including yours), hospitals are actually giving out HARMFUL info? I’ve also been reading about how BMI is not an accurate way to measure body fat, and the BMI is ALSO listed on hospital sites as the proper way to measure BMI. So it’s disconcerting to see this harmful info. that’s so readily accepted.
I’ve got to admit that the dangers of sat. fat and cholesterol are SO drilled into me that its very hard to accept something else, BUT, if the reverse IS true, I’m usually the first to inform people of any alternative beliefs and I get a lot of “come on! that’s bs!”
Hi Danielle, thanks for your comment!
Your hesitation is totally understandable. When I first started learning about these issues, I didn’t think it was possible for the general public to be deceived so badly. However, I’ve read so many appalling stories about government being negatively influenced by corporate interests that it’s no longer surprising, just disappointing and sometimes infuriating.
I don’t expect you to simply take my word for it and I encourage you to read the material I referenced to help you decide for yourself. In regard to the FDA, read about the Vioxx controversy and the questionable approval of aspartame. The fast approval of genetically modified foods raises a lot of questions as well. You can read about that in Seeds of Deception by Jeffrey Smith. Also read about how FDA is heavily influenced by the drug industry and what they let drug companies get away with. It doesn’t take a lot of digging to find that even the FDA’s own scientists admit that the agency is out to please the food and drug industries more so than protecting the health of the general public as it’s supposed to do. Many of these scientists are calling for reform.
If the FDA is not being completely transparent with us, and hospitals and other institutions are relying on information from the FDA, than it shouldn’t be too difficult to realize that we may not be able to trust everything they say either. I know that can sound pretty alarming, and I’m not suggesting that the mainstream medical community should never be trusted, but rather that it’s important to be informed and not blindly trust medical professionals or organizations based only on their perceived significance.
In regard to cholesterol and saturated fat, I recommend reading The Cholesterol Myths by Uffe Ravnskov for a detailed analysis of how the dogma that cholesterol and saturated fat cause heart disease is weakly supported by research. I also recommend reading $29 Billion Reasons to Lie About Cholesterol by Justin Smith and Know Your Fats by Mary Enig which I referenced in this article. There are many other resources as well, but this should be plenty to get you started. Even if you choose to disagree with the material presented, at least you’ll be informed.
Sure, saturated fat can cause you to gain weight if you eat too much of it, but I think excessive consumption of carbohydrates, particularly the refined variety, is the problem for most people. It also depends on nutritional individuality. Many people have lost a lot of weight by following a diet based on natural whole foods that also happens to be generally low in carbohydrates and higher in protein and fat. I’ve lost 30 pounds since transitioning to such a diet and have maintained about 10% body fat since. I also eat a lot of saturated fat. However, I’ll reiterate that although everyone should consider a diet based on natural whole foods, individuality can make a big difference for some people which means that it’s not appropriate for everyone to consume larger quantities of protein and fat.
It’s pretty easy to point out a major flaw with Body Mass Index. Consider a very fit and muscular NFL running back who has very little body fat, is 6 feet tall, and weighs 225 pounds. Their BMI would be over 30 and classify them as being obese. Not just overweight, but obese! Some running backs are shorter and heavier than this while still having little body fat which would make their BMI even higher. While most people don’t have enough muscle mass to cause this scenario, it’s obvious that BMI is a flawed measurement, especially for people who are both muscular and have a small to moderate amount of extra fat. Using calipers to measure body fat has it’s drawbacks too, but I think it’s a better method.
It’s not just tropical oils that are good for you. Lard, Tallow, Goose and Duck fat and butter are healthy as well
Hi Denis, thanks for your comment.
I agree as long as it’s from pasture raised animals that aren’t exposed to a lot of chemicals. Unnatural diets can alter the composition of animal fat in undesirable ways, and fat is also where chemical toxins tend to be stored.