Saturated fatty acids refer to fats that are saturated with hydrogen. Generally solid at room temperature, saturated fats can raise cholesterol levels, putting you at higher risk for heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association recommends that you limit saturated fat in your diet to no more than 7 percent of your total calories. Primary sources of saturated fat include animal sources such as cheese, ice cream, butter, fatty cuts of meat, and whole and 2 percent milk. However, palm and coconut oils also contain saturated fat.
Step 1
Determine the number of saturated fat grams in a particular food or beverage. Packaged products will list saturated fat content on the label. You can also refer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Nutrient Database to identify how many saturated fat grams a food contains.
Step 2
Multiply the number of saturated fat grams by nine. Fatty acids contain nine calories per gram. Converting saturated fat grams to calories enables you to track the percentage of calories from saturated fat you consume.
Step 3
Multiply your total daily calorie target by 7 percent to determine the maximum number of calories you should consume from saturated fats. For example, if you follow a 2,000-calorie diet, you need to aim for no more than 140 calories, or 15.5 g of saturated fat a day.
Tips and Warnings
- Track your eating habits with a food journal. Track your calories from saturated fat over the course of a week to determine if you typically exceed the recommended limit. Make adjustments in your diet if your intake of saturated fat is more than 7 percent. You can trim saturated fat from your diet by choosing lean cuts of meat, opting for skim milk, cooking meat without the skin, switching to low-fat cheese varieties and opting for healthier snack foods such as fruit and non-fat yogurt, suggests the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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