What Eating Too Much Saturated Fat Really Does to Your Heart, According to Experts

The federal government may be preparing to ease its stance on saturated fat—potentially signaling a major shift in U.S. dietary guidance, according to reporting in The Wall Street Journal. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in July that the updated recommendations will emphasize saturated fats, whole-fat dairy, “good meat,” and vegetables. He told Fox News in August he personally follows a carnivore-style pattern built around meat, yogurt, and fermented vegetables.

KENNEDY’S KITCHEN: @SecKennedy reveals his carnivore-inspired diet — focusing on meat plus gut-friendly fermented foods like no-sugar yogurt, coleslaw, kimchee, and fermented veggies pic.twitter.com/rRkuIlXHbv

— FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) August 5, 2025

But nutrition scientists quoted by WSJ say the evidence is not moving in that direction, and they’re concerned the public could misinterpret the shift.

Why Top Cardiologists Still Warn Against High Saturated Fat

“The science is actually pretty clear. Exposure to unhealthy saturated fats, butter, full-fat dairy, fatty red meats, these things raise LDL cholesterol and contribute to heart disease,” Cheryl A.M. Anderson, professor at UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and member of the federal advisory committee, explained to WSJ. Current guidelines recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of daily calories. The American Heart Association suggests going even lower—under 6%.

The WSJ notes the confusion goes back decades. Low-fat diet trends of the 1980s led Americans to replace fat with refined, processed carbs. “We got rid of bad fat in the diet, but we didn’t replace it with healthy fat,” Harvard nutrition scientist Eric Rimm told the WSJ.

Why the Source of Saturated Fat Matters More Than You Think

Tufts cardiologist Dariush Mozaffarian told WSJ that saturated fat from yogurt and cheese may impact weight, blood sugar, and inflammation differently than saturated fat from red meat. Red meat, the WSJ reports, remains linked to higher risk of diabetes and colon cancer.

Stanford scientist Christopher Gardner told the WSJ committee that while more research is needed, the recommendation to cap saturated fat shouldn’t change. “You don’t have to be vegan here, but eat less meat and less dairy and more plant foods,” he said.

How to Reduce Saturated Fat Without Going Full Vegan

If you’re not ready to give up steak entirely, experts say small, realistic swaps can still protect your heart and cut saturated fat without going full plant-based.

• Swap red meat for beans, lentils, or fish
• Choose yogurt and cheese over butter and bacon
• Cook more often with olive or avocado oil. Or try Algae Cooking Oil, a plant-based unsaturated option designed to replace traditional saturated fats without sacrificing flavor.

Bottom line: You don’t need to overhaul your entire diet overnight. Just make smarter choices consistently, and your heart will feel the difference.

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