What Foods Are High in Saturated Fat?

Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and include foods like lard, butter, and coconut oil. Over time, too much of these fats increase the risk of high cholesterol and heart disease.

Some foods high in saturated fat may already be on your radar, like beef or cheese. But others may surprise you, like ice cream and coffee creamer. When possible, it's good to choose unsaturated fats, like nuts, plant-based oils, and avocados.

This article reviews the types of foods high in saturated fat. It also covers healthier alternatives to choose from instead.

How Much Saturated Fat Should You Eat?

While it's important to include fats in your diet, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fats to less than 10% of total calories for healthy adults.

The American Heart Association recommends that adults who would benefit from lowering LDL cholesterol limit foods high in saturated fat to 5% to 6% of total calories, which is equivalent to about 11 to 13 grams of saturated fat daily when eating about 2000 calories per day.

If you need less than 2000 calories daily to maintain your weight, then you will need less than 11 to 13 grams of saturated fat per day.

The following list gives an overview of high saturated fat foods as well as low saturated fat foods to reduce your daily percentage.

Meats High in Saturated Fat

Many animal products contain high amounts of saturated fat. This includes:

• Bacon
• Beef
• Beef fat
• Breakfast sausages
• Hot dogs
• Lamb
• Pork
• Processed meats
• Some cold cuts

Although following a cholesterol-lowering diet does not ban you from eating these meats entirely, consuming these foods high in saturated fat daily can add up.

Limiting your intake of red meat and processed meats is one easy way to lower your intake of saturated fats. You can also choose "lean" or "extra-lean" meats.

Paying attention to trans fats (also called "partially hydrogenated oils") is also important, since they decrease HDL ("good cholesterol") and, like saturated fats, also raise LDL, increasing your risk for heart disease. Trans fats are actually an unsaturated fat, and are categorized as monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.

Healthy Alternatives

These protein alternatives are better choices if you are looking to reduce your intake of foods high in saturated fat:

• Beans
• Fish
• Nuts and seeds
• Poultry, including chicken and turkey (without the skin)
• Soy products, like tofu or tempeh

Dairy Products High in Saturated Fats

Dairy products can also introduce additional saturated fat into your diet. Dairy products high in saturated fat include:

• Cheeses
• Creams 
• Ice cream
• Whole and 2% milk and dairy products

Because consuming some dairy products can increase your saturated fat intake, it is a good idea to be mindful of the amounts of dairy being added to your favorite foods or beverages (for example, coffee creamer or butter on your toast). High-fat dairy sources can add up fairly quickly.

Healthy Alternatives

To minimize the amount of saturated fat you eat, select non-fat or low-fat varieties of your favorite dairy foods, which are usually labeled “low-fat,” “skim,” or “part-skim.”

Fats and Oils High in Saturated Fat

Although various spreads and oils are not something you would consume alone, they are often added to a variety of foods during preparation. Some of these high-fat options, such as cream-based salad dressings and cooking oils, can take otherwise healthy, low-fat dishes and make them anything but.

Fats and oils high in saturated fat include:

• Butter 
• Certain plant-based oils (for example, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil)
• Cream-based dressings and dips
• Lard
• Mayonnaise

Fried foods and baked goods also have high levels of saturated fats and trans fats.

In the end, the only way to know how much saturated fat you are consuming is to read the nutrition facts and ingredients on all food labels. Calorie counter websites and smart device nutrition tracker apps can also be helpful in this regard.

Healthy Alternatives

The alternatives you can use will depend on how you plan to use them. For example, some oils are better for cooking than others. That said, healthier options you can consider include:

• Avocado oil
• Olive oil
• Flaxseed oil
• Canola oil

Changing the way you prepare meals can also help reduce saturated fat intake. For example, bake your chicken rather than fry it, or steam fish instead of sautéing. Consider air frying the foods that you normally fry.

Lastly, using reduced-fat varieties of dressings or dips can also prevent introducing excess saturated fat into your diet. However, be mindful of potential high sugar content in low-fat products.

Snacks and Desserts

Desserts and processed sweet and salty snacks usually have butter, cocoa butter, palm oil, or dairy fat added to them. Snacks and desserts high in saturated fat include:

• Ice cream
• Cakes and pies
• Cookies and brownies
• Doughnuts and pastries
• Chocolate
• Chips
• Some crackers and savory snack mixes

Healthy Alternatives

Choose desserts in moderation by eating them less often and focusing on enjoying a smaller portion. Choose snacks that come from whole foods instead of processed, packaged foods, such as:

• Apple with nut butter
• Berries or other fresh fruit
  
• Carrots (or other raw vegetables) with hummus
• Low-fat Greek yogurt
• Hard-boiled Egg
• Peanuts
• Trail mix made of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit 
• Roasted Chickpeas
  

Summary

Excess intake of saturated fats can increase the risk of high cholesterol and heart disease. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and American Heart Association recommend limiting foods high in saturated fats and eating more unsaturated fats. Foods high in saturated fats include beef, bacon, processed meats, whole dairy, butter, lard, mayonnaise, desserts, and processed snack foods.

The good news is healthy substitutions abound and are relatively easy to incorporate into your daily eating pattern.

A Word From Verywell

When making any dietary change, think of all the delicious meals you can prepare—not necessarily what you have to avoid. In the end, lowering your saturated fat intake may take a little work and restraint, but the boon to your overall health will be worth it.