Saturated fats are found in many foods such as red meat, butter, animal fat and whole milk. This is a common type of fat in the diet. When consumed in high doses for a long time, it can affect cardiovascular health.
Eating a lot of saturated fat is associated with increased LDL cholesterol. When LDL increases, fat can accumulate in blood vessel walls, narrowing the lumen and hindering blood circulation. This condition increases the risk of atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and stroke.
Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oils or fish, can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems. This effect is more noticeable in people with risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
The effects of saturated fat vary from person to person. In people at low risk, changes in a short time may not be clearly different. However, consuming a lot for a long time can still increase the risk of heart disease.
Nutrition experts recommend controlling saturated fat in daily diet. Consuming too many foods rich in saturated fat, especially when combined with an inactive lifestyle, increases the risk of dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease.
The current recommendation is to limit saturated fat to less than 10% of total daily energy, and at a lower level for people at high cardiovascular risk. Therefore, it is necessary to limit animal fat, butter, fatty meat and whole milk products.
Instead, you should prioritize unsaturated fats from olive oil, nuts and fatty fish. At the same time, increase green vegetables, fruits and whole grains in your daily diet to support cardiovascular health.
Saturated fat does not need to be completely eliminated, but needs to be reasonably controlled. ADJUSTING your diet is an important measure to help reduce the risk of heart disease.
