Saturated fats are a family of fatty acids grouped by carbon-chain length. They range from 18-carbon stearic acid down to the short-chain fatty acids the gut makes by fermentation. Each type acts differently. Stearic acid has a neutral effect on the lipid profile. Palmitic acid raises bad cholesterol.
In the last decade, saturated fats have caused a lot of controversy. In case the news hasn’t reached you, scientists are rethinking the bad label put on saturated fats. This does not erase the negative feeling about fatty meat and cheese. But it does try to clear up some broad generalizations that have been misleading.
For starters, saturated fats are not a single nutrient. They are a varied group of fatty acids that have different effects on the body. So while some saturated fats may be downright unhealthy for you, others are not. Some may even offer health benefits.
This article looks at the 10 most common saturated fats, their health effects and where they come from.
What are Saturated Fats?
Fats can be split into two broad groups: saturated and unsaturated fats. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. This is the most general way to tell the two groups apart. For a long time, people believed saturated fats were unhealthy and unsaturated fats were healthy. This is why the advice has always been to choose liquid oils such as canola, safflower or sunflower oil. These are unsaturated oils. The advice was to avoid coconut or palm oils, which are saturated.
Examples of saturated fats include fatty meat, lard, tallow, cheese, cream, coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter. All fats are made up of fatty acids. There are a number of saturated fats, and you can tell them apart by the length of their carbon chains. Here is an example of how this looks:
| Saturated fatty acid | Number of carbon atoms |
| Stearic acid | 18 |
| Palmitic acid | 16 |
| Myristic acid | 14 |
| Lauric acid | 12 |
| Capric acid | 10 |
| Caproic acid | 10 |
Saturated fats can be short-chain, medium-chain or long-chain fatty acids. Those with less than six carbon atoms are called short-chain. Those with more are called long-chain fatty acids. Short-chain fatty acids are made in the gut through the fermentation process. They may also be found in some fermented foods. Long-chain fatty acids are like the ones listed above that come from food: stearic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, and lauric acid.
Is saturated fat bad for your heart?
As mentioned above, saturated fats were slowly becoming taboo in health circles. Heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) diseases became a large chunk of modern disease. As that happened, saturated fats were pushed aside as a strong risk factor. People dropped saturated fatty acids and switched to mono and polyunsaturated fats, which were sold as heart-friendly.
However, recent research has disputed the earlier belief that saturated fats are the main cause of cardiovascular diseases. This has not ruled out a link between the two. But the exact role they play is still being debated. It has also become clear that not all saturated fats are created equal. So some may be good for your health.
So we will look at 10 types of saturated fats. We will see what each one has to offer or take away.
Stearic acid
Stearic acid is a common saturated fatty acid with 18 carbon atoms. It is a major part of many animal and plant fats, as well as cocoa butter. Research has shown that it may lower bad cholesterol levels or have no effect. The body converts some of the stearic acids into oleic acid, which is a healthy unsaturated fat. So compared to some saturated fats that are bad for the heart, stearic acid may be a safer option. It appears that stearic acid has neutral effects on the lipid profile. The main food sources of stearic acid are animal fat, coconut oil, cocoa butter, and palm kernel oil.
Palmitic acid
Palmitic acid is the most common saturated fat in plants and animals. It makes up over 50% of the total saturated fat eaten in the US. Palmitic acid is mostly found in palm oil. It can also be found in red meat. It raises bad cholesterol levels and has no effect on good cholesterol levels. This means it may raise a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease. Palmitic acid has also been associated with low moods and low motivation to be physically active. Lastly, palmitic acid has been associated with weight gain. One study found that eating linoleic acid along with palmitic acid offset some of palmitic acid’s effects. That is no reason to eat seed oils. Linoleic acid is the omega-6 fat in seed oils, and seed oils are harmful for our patients.
Myristic acid
Myristic acid raises total cholesterol and bad cholesterol levels. So it most likely increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Myristic acid is a rare fatty acid. It can be found in coconut oil as well as palm kernel oil.
Lauric acid
Lauric acid has 12 carbon atoms. It increases good cholesterol levels as well as total cholesterol levels. This means it lowers total cholesterol relative to HDL cholesterol. A study published in NCBI in 1996 concluded that “Lauric acid raises total cholesterol concentrations more than palmitic acid, which is partly due to a stronger rise in HDL cholesterol.” This means lauric acid could be good for heart health.
Caproic, caprylic, and capric acid
The above fatty acids are plentiful in goat milk; Capra actually means “female goat” in Latin. If you have heard of the benefits of goat milk, they come from these fatty acids. These medium-chain fatty acids (with fewer than 12 carbon atoms) are easily absorbed by the body and rapidly metabolized. They aid in weight loss and increase insulin sensitivity. They also offer anti-seizure benefits. As a result, these fatty acids are often sold as supplements made mostly of capric acid and caprylic acid.
Short-chain fatty acids
Short-chain fatty acids contain fewer than six carbon atoms. They include butyric acid, propionic acid, and acetic acid. They are created through a fermentation process of fiber in the gut. They may be found in small amounts in dairy fat and some fermented foods. These are usually beneficial fatty acids.
Is saturated fat good or bad for you?
The jury is still out on this. Recent science is refuting earlier evidence that saturated fats alone cause atherosclerosis. But given the facts above, it is clear that some types of saturated fats are either neutral or have some benefits for the heart. However, it is wise to eat saturated fats in moderate amounts. Switching to more unsaturated fats would be ideal in most situations, because they offer more benefits and fewer risks.
Frequently asked questions
What food is highest in saturated fat?
The main sources are fatty meat, lard, tallow, cheese, cream, coconut oil, palm oil and cocoa butter. Palmitic acid, the most common saturated fat, comes mostly from palm oil. It also comes from red meat. Myristic acid is found in coconut oil and palm kernel oil. Caproic, caprylic and capric acid are plentiful in goat milk.
What are the different types of saturated fat?
Saturated fats are sorted by the length of their carbon chains. Short-chain fatty acids have fewer than six carbons. They include butyric, propionic and acetic acid. Caproic, caprylic and capric acid are medium-chain fats found in goat milk. The long-chain fats in food include lauric acid (12 carbons), myristic acid (14), palmitic acid (16) and stearic acid (18).
How is saturated fat used in the body?
It depends on the type. The body converts some stearic acid into oleic acid. Medium-chain fats such as caprylic and capric acid are easily absorbed and rapidly metabolized. They aid weight loss and increase insulin sensitivity. Short-chain fatty acids are made in your own gut when bacteria ferment fiber. They are usually beneficial.
Related reading
References
1. NCBI (2010): Cardiovascular disease risk of dietary stearic acid compared with trans, other saturated, and unsaturated fatty acids: a systematic review. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19939984
2. NCBI (2010): Cardiovascular disease risk of dietary stearic acid compared with trans, other saturated, and unsaturated fatty acids: a systematic review. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19939984
3. NCBI (1994): Impact of myristic acid versus palmitic acid on serum lipid and lipoprotein levels in healthy women and men. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8148355
4. NCBI (1996): Comparison of the effects of diets enriched in lauric, palmitic, or oleic acids on serum lipids and lipoproteins in healthy women and men. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8644684
5. NCBI (2016): Intestinal Short Chain Fatty Acids and their Link with Diet and Human Health. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26925050
Medically reviewed by Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP
Interventional pain physician, addiction medicine specialist and obesity medicine diplomate.
Licensed in Missouri and Illinois.
Last reviewed June 18, 2026
