When It Comes To Saturated Fats & Heart Health, It Might Be Time For More Nuance

But—as it often goes—there might be more nuance to the saturated fat conversation than we've come to know. A new study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association earlier this month, suggests that we pay more attention to the type of food the saturated fat is coming from rather than writing off foods with saturated fats entirely.

While saturated fats are often found in highly processed foods that lack health benefits—even beyond whether or not the fats themselves are harmful—there are some less processed foods that contain saturated fats, too, like coconut oil and dairy products.

According to the researchers, these findings align with previous research—they specifically cite a 2017 study that highlighted the link between food groups and risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure4. In the case of the recent study, the observational nature of the research means that the link between the type of food that contains the saturated fat and heart disease risk can only be called an association—there's no way to prove any cause, given the other factors at play.

You can also get more nuanced than just calling the fats saturated fats, which can help to potentially enlighten why some sources of saturated fats are more associated with negative health impacts. In red meat, for example, there is more palmitic acid, a specific type of saturated fat, than there is in dairy products.

What does all this really mean? Simply, that a healthy diet for those worried about heart disease may not need to be completely free of all saturated fats—though you should always follow your doctor's advice. "This shows us that ultimately, our health is affected by the combination of all the nutrients and bioactive components (including vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals) in the foods we eat," the researchers explain, "this is why it's important to consider the foods we eat alongside the nutrients they contain."