ArcaMax

Two-thirds of all U.S. adults consume more saturated fats than their body can handle -- mostly from red meat, processed meats, full-fat dairy, and cheeses. That reduces the body's ability to remove lousy LDL cholesterol from the blood and amps up body-wide inflammation, heart disease, cognition problems, and obesity and/or Type 2 diabetes. Excess saturated fat may also fuel cancer.

Sat-fats should make up no more than 6% to 10% of your daily calories, assuming you aren't eating excess calories! (For a 2,000-calories-a-day diet, that's around 10 to 20 grams of sat-fat.) That's because your liver and fat cells can synthesize all the saturated fat (actually, the saturated fatty acid called palmitate) that your body needs to keep cell membranes and hormones doing their jobs.

Foods that are loaded with healthy fats may also contain saturated fat -- there are about 1.66 grams in 6 ounces of wild Atlantic salmon (wild is your best choice). And a 6-ounce skinless chicken breast has about 2 grams. That won't do you any harm and may actually enhance your health. There's even preliminary research that says that fermented dairy like full-fat yogurt changes the impact of saturated fats and may help keep you heart healthy. I'm waiting for more solid evidence before I agree with that!

To discover foods like extra-virgin olive oil, avocados, walnuts, salmon, and chia seeds that deliver healthful poly- and monounsaturated fats and don't load you up on saturated fats, check out "What to Eat When" and the recipes in my "What to Eat When Cookbook."

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at drmikerealage@gmail.com.

(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.