Saturated vs Unsaturated Fat: Which One is Healthier?

The topic of saturated vs unsaturated fat is a popular debate in the health and fitness community that you should be aware of. It’s important to understand what each of these terms mean, and why it is important to learn the difference between them before you start following a strict diet.

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What is saturated vs unsaturated fat?

Saturated fats (Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash)

Saturated fats are fats that remain solid at room temperature. These are usually found in animal and dairy products. More often than not, they can raise cholesterol levels, which can result in an increased risk of heart disease.

On the other hand, unsaturated fats are ones that remain liquid at room temperature and are usually found in plant-based sources of fat such as nuts and seeds. These are known to reduce cholesterol levels and hence, reduce the risk of heart disease.

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The difference between saturated vs unsaturated fat

Olive oil (Photo by Jessica Lewis on Unsplash)

The primary difference between saturated and unsaturated fats is their chemical structure. The former has a chemical structure of carbon atoms that have no double bonds between them. However, the chemical structure of unsaturated fats has one or two double bonds between the carbon atoms.

As a result, the two types of fats behave differently at the same temperature and inside our bodies as well.

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Examples of saturated fat

The following are some of the foods high in saturated fat:

• Red meat and processed meat
• Dairy products such as whole milk, butter, and cheese
• Lard and tallow
• Cream
• Coconut oil
• Palm Kim
• Baked good made with butter
• Fried food and fast foods

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Examples of unsaturated fat

The following are examples of unsaturated fatty foods:

• Nuts and seeds such as almonds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts
• Avocados
• Peanut butter
• Olives
• Fatty fishes such as salmon and mackerel
• Olive oil, avocado oil, and other vegetable oils
• Tofu and soy items

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It is also important to know that unsaturated fats can be further divided into two categories: polyunsaturated and monounsaturated.

Polyunsaturated fat contains two or more carbon double bonds in its chemical structure. These fats remain in liquid form at room temperature and in the refrigerator and can be found in fatty fish and seeds.

Monounsaturated fat, on the other hand, contains only one carbon double bond in its chemical structure and is found in avocados, oils, and nuts. These fats are also liquid at room temperature.

Regardless, both types of unsaturated fats are related to reducing cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease.

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Which is healthier between saturated vs unsaturated fat?

Healthy food (Photo by Anna Pelzer on Unsplash)

It is usually recommended that you limit your intake of saturated fats and replace them with unsaturated fats. Due to their health benefits, it is much better to have more unsaturated fats in your diet.

However, it’s also recommended to have a diet where you are adding every macronutrient in moderation. Considering fats are a macronutrient, you cannot add only saturated or unsaturated fats. You need to add both, but in moderation.

For example, you need to consume meat due to it being an important source of protein. On the other hand, it is better to cook using olive oil due to its health benefits.

It’s important that you understand why moderating your diet is of utmost importance. If you’re not able to understand how to add fats to your diet, it’s better to calculate your daily macros and then create a diet based on those macros.

Speaking of macros, whether it’s saturated vs unsaturated fat or proteins vs carbohydrates, your macros determine whether you’ll lose fat or gain muscle. If you want to lose fat, you need to follow a caloric deficit diet, which means you’ll consume calories below the maintenance level. However, if you want to gain muscle, you need to follow a calorie surplus diet where you’ll be consuming calories above maintenance levels.

You will not be able to attain your desired physique by either consuming only one saturated fats or only unsaturated fats. The saturated vs unsaturated fat difference can come in handy when you are trying to calculate caloric intake and is helpful in understanding how much of what you can add to your diet to attain your desired physique.