Saturated fat: how much is too much & where it’s found
What it is
Saturated fats raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Animal products such as butter, cheese, whole milk and ice cream are high in them, and so are coconut, palm and palm kernel oil. NIH MedlinePlus
What it does — EU-authorised health claims
Reducing consumption of saturated fat contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.
Wording as authorised in Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 EUR-LexEU Commission
Official limits
- US No more than 10 % of daily calories (Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030); cutting down on highly processed foods helps. USDA
- US label FDA Daily Value: 20 g. FDA
- US National Academies: as low as possible while eating a nutritionally adequate diet. MedlinePlus advises less than 6 % of daily calories for heart health. US National Academies (DRIs)NIH MedlinePlus
- WHO Less than 10 % of daily energy. WHOWHO
Highest per portion — eat these in moderation
| Food | Portion | Saturated fat | % US DV |
|---|---|---|---|
 Mozzarella | 60 g | 8.6 g | 43 % |
 Emmental cheese | 30 g | 6.1 g | 30 % |
 Dark chocolate | 20 g | 5 g | 25 % |
 Feta | 30 g | 4.8 g | 24 % |
 Eggs, boiled | 120 g (2 eggs) | 3.1 g | 16 % |
 Salmon | 125 g | 3 g | 15 % |
 Herring | 125 g | 2.9 g | 15 % |
 Milk, 1.5% fat | 250 g | 2.5 g | 13 % |
 Cashew nuts | 25 g | 2.3 g | 12 % |
 Sardines in oil, drained | 90 g | 2.2 g | 11 % |
 Mackerel | 125 g | 2.1 g | 11 % |
 Walnuts | 30 g | 2 g | 10 % |
 Avocado | 75 g | 1.9 g | 10 % |
 Peanuts, roasted | 25 g | 1.9 g | 10 % |
 Trout | 125 g | 1.8 g | 9 % |
Per normal portion. Values from BLS 4.0. % US DV = share of the FDA Daily Value.
Sources
- Dietary fats explained — NIH MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine)
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 — U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health & Human Services
- Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels — US Food and Drug Administration
- Dietary Reference Intakes — reference values for macronutrients (tables published by Health Canada) — US National Academies (DRIs)
- Healthy diet — fact sheet — World Health Organization
- Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline (2023) — World Health Organization
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 — list of permitted health claims (consolidated) — European Union (EUR-Lex)
- EU Register of nutrition and health claims made on foods — European Commission
- Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel (BLS) 4.0 — German Nutrient Database — Max Rubner-Institut