After years—nay, decades—of being ostracized as the ‘bad fats’ of the food pyramid, saturated fats may not be quite as awful as we once thought. According to researchers, saturated fats (which are common in dairy products and meat) may not pose that huge of a threat, especially in regards to heart disease or premature death. "Not all the studies we looked at reached the same conclusion, but generally what we found is that the association between a higher consumption of trans fats and a higher risk for heart disease and [early] death was very consistent," said study author Russell de Souza.
Then again, that doesn’t mean we should start crushing saturated fat by the spoonful either. Though there’s no need to completely shun them, continue to be mindful of intake (limiting them to 10 percent of your diet).
On the other hand, this study found that trans-fats—which are found in processed foods like margarine and baked goods—continue to be linked to heart problems and should be limited to less than 1 percent of your diet. Does this news make you less wary of saturated fats? Or are you still suspicious of them?