saturated fat

noun

plural saturated fats

: a fat (see fat entry 3 sense 2b) that contains a fatty acid (see fatty acid sense 2) molecule which has no double bonds and only single bonds in its hydrocarbon chain, that is solid at room temperature, and that is found especially in animal products (such as meat and dairy), coconut, and palm oil

One thing scientists do know is that much of the yummy stuff in low-carb diets—think filet mignon with béarnaise sauce—comes loaded with artery-clogging saturated fats. Low-carb mania has not upended the scientific consensus that saturated fats are the enemy: a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

—David Bjerklie

Those who ate larger amounts of saturated fat, found in meats, dairy products, and butter, had more intra-abdominal fat, while those who ate a diet including more polyunsaturated fats, such as vegetable oils, had less visceral fat.

—Food & Fitness Advisor

compare unsaturated fat, trans fat

Examples of saturated fat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Excess saturated fat in your blood can prevent insulin receptors (hormones that regulate blood sugar) from functioning properly, suppress insulin production, and lead to elevated blood sugar levels.6 Over time, this can lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. —Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 12 Feb. 2026

But having too much of some nutrients in cheese—namely, sodium and saturated fat—isn’t so helpful for certain health concerns, particularly high blood pressure (also known as hypertension), which raises the risk of heart problems. —Sarah Garone, Health, 9 Feb. 2026

On the other hand, research on how strongly protein, red meat, saturated fat and dairy are linked with chronic disease risk is much less conclusive. —Michael I Goran, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026

The new guidance recommends three servings of full-fat dairy a day but caps saturated fat at 10% of daily calories per day. —Joey Garrison, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026

The official limit saturated fat notwithstanding, the meat and dairy industries seem happy with the new guidelines. —Isabella Cueto, STAT, 8 Jan. 2026

Depending on the recipe, cloud coffee can pack in a lot of calories, saturated fat, and sugar. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 16 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for saturated fat

• commissariat
• microhabitat
• acrobat
• autocrat
• automat
• bundesrat
• bureaucrat
• butterfat
• caveat
• chemostat
• copycat
• cryostat

Medical Definition

saturated fat

noun

: a fat (see fat entry 2 sense 2b) that contains a fatty acid (see fatty acid sense 2) molecule which has no double bonds and only single bonds in its hydrocarbon chain, that is solid at room temperature, and that is found especially in animal products (such as meat and dairy), coconut, and palm products

The American Heart Association (AHA) dietary guidelines for healthy adults suggest that no more than 30 percent of calories should come from fat, with eight to 10 percent coming from saturated fat …

—Harvey B. Simon, Scientific American Medical Bulletin

compare trans fat, unsaturated fat