Are American Diets High In Saturated Fats?

Saturated fat is necessary for human health, but your body makes enough saturated fat on its own to meet your needs. In other words, it is completely unnecessary to consume any saturated fat to survive and thrive. The consumption of saturated fat has been linked to high blood cholesterol levels, which increase your risk of heart disease. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the U.S., and diets high in saturated fats are partially to blame.

Saturated Fats

American diets are high in both saturated and trans fats, both of which are solid fats that do not contribute any significant nutritional value to the diet. Solid fats are associated with obesity and increased cardiovascular disease risk. According to “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” the average American consumes about 15 percent of their daily calories in the form of saturated fat. Saturated fat elevates blood cholesterol, which increases the formation of arterial plaques that harden arteries and lead to coronary artery disease.

Functions

Your body uses saturated fat as a source of fuel during light exercise. During heavy exercise, it uses triacylglycerols, which are stored in your muscle tissue. The saturated fats your body synthesizes come in numerous different forms and are used for a variety of physiological functions. Lauric acid, for example, aids in the prevention of tooth decay. Caprylic acid and capric acid both have antiviral effects.

Sources

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cheese is the biggest single source of saturated fat in the American diet, comprising about 8.5 percent of total saturated fat consumption. Pizza, grain-based deserts, dairy desserts, chicken, sausage, bacon, hot dogs, burgers and ribs are also big contributors to the total saturated fat intake of Americans.

Recommendations

In 2002 the Institute of Medicine recommended that saturated fat intake should comprise less than 10 percent of daily calories. There is no lower limit for saturated fat intake. You cannot become deficient in saturated fat by eliminating your intake because your body synthesizes all the saturated fat you need. The USDA advises Americans to limit consumption of the major sources of high saturated fat, and suggests replacing butter and lard with vegetable oils, such as canola, olive or safflower oil.