Saturated fats are those that become hard at room temperature. They
are found mostly in animal-based foods (such as meat, butter, milk, and cheese)
and in coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter.
Saturated fats should only be eaten in limited amounts because they
harm blood vessels, which increases a person's risk for developing hardening of
the arteries (atherosclerosis). Saturated fats also affect the levels of
cholesterol in the blood and increase the risk of developing coronary artery
disease.
Most of a person's fat calories should be from monounsaturated fats (such as from olive oil, peanut oil,
avocados, and nuts) or polyunsaturated fats (such as
from liquid vegetable oils, corn oil, or soybean oil).
Food labels usually show how many fat calories come from
saturated, trans, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats.