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Fat, also called lipid, is component of cell membrane and source of energy to the body. It is essential for brain development and production of cholesterol in the liver. However, when fat level in the body exceeds the normal level, it is associated with health complications such as heart diseases, high blood pressure and obesity.
The difference between saturated fats and unsaturated fats:
Saturated fat: are precursors for cholesterol and therefore, the level of their intake is positively associated with serum cholesterol level, especially low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Major sources of saturated fat are animal food-based products; check the table below for content.
Unsaturated fat: includes polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat. Both types are predominantly found in plant products. Examples of polyunsaturated fat food sources include soybean, sunflower, fish and corn oils. Monounsaturated fat is found in high content in olive, peanut, and canola oils. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids are suggested to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
Several studies indicate that replacement of food high in saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat rich foods reduces the total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
In the following table is a list of fat food sources and their corresponding saturated fat and total fat content. With in each catagory, food items are listed high to low total fat content. | Fat food sources | Saturated fat (grams/100 grams food) | Total fat (lipid) (grams/100 grams food) | Pork | | Pork, cured, bacon, cooked, broiled, pan-fried or roasted | 13.74 | 41.79 | | Pork, fresh, spareribs, separable lean and fat, cooked, braised | 11.12 | 30.31 | | Pork, fresh, backribs, separable lean and fat, cooked, roasted | 10.99 | 29.58 | | Pork Sausage, Fresh, Cooked | 8.79 | 28.37 | | Pork Sausage, Fresh, Cooked | 9.48 | 28.35 | | Pork, fresh, shoulder, arm picnic, separable lean and fat, cooked, braised | 8.49 | 23.22 | | Pork, fresh, loin, country-style ribs, separable lean and fat, cooked, braised | 8.01 | 21.51 | | Pork, fresh, leg (ham), whole, separable lean and fat, cooked, roasted | 6.47 | 17.61 | | Pork, cured, ham, whole, separable lean and fat, roasted | 5.98 | 16.76 | | Pork, fresh, loin, center loin (chops), bone-in, separable lean and fat, cooked, pan-fried | 6.01 | 16.56 | | Pork, fresh, loin, center rib (roasts), bone-in, separable lean and fat, cooked, roasted | 5.92 | 15.28 | | Pork, fresh, loin, center loin (chops), bone-in, separable lean and fat, cooked, broiled | 4.80 | 13.06 | | Pork, fresh, shoulder, arm picnic, separable lean only, cooked, braised | 4.16 | 12.21 | | Pork, fresh, loin, center rib (roasts), bone-in, separable lean only, cooked, roasted | 4.35 | 11.16 | | Pork, fresh, loin, center loin (chops), bone-in, separable lean only, cooked, pan-fried | 3.64 | 10.47 | | Pork, fresh, leg (ham), whole, separable lean only, cooked, roasted | 3.30 | 9.44 | | Pork, cured, ham, extra lean and regular, canned, roasted | 2.81 | 8.44 | | Pork, cured, canadian-style bacon, grilled | 2.84 | 8.43 | | Pork, fresh, loin, center loin (chops), bone-in, separable lean only, cooked, broiled | 2.95 | 8.07 | | Pork, cured, ham, whole, separable lean only, roasted | 1.84 | 5.51 | Beef | | Beef, rib, whole (ribs 6-12), separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/4 fat, all grades, cooked, roasted | 11.70 | 29.01 | | Beef, ground, 75% lean meat / 25% fat, patty, cooked, broiled | 7.25 | 18.74 | | Beef, ground, 80% lean meat / 20% fat, patty, cooked, broiled | 6.77 | 17.82 | | Beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat, patty, cooked, broiled | 5.89 | 15.48 | | Beef, cured, corned beef, canned | 6.18 | 14.93 | | Beef, top sirloin, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8 fat, all grades, cooked, broiled | 5.60 | 14.24 | | Beef, rib, whole (ribs 6-12), separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4 fat, all grades, cooked, roasted | 4.98 | 12.51 | | Beef, round, bottom round, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8 fat, all grades, cooked, braised | 4.51 | 11.87 | | Beef, round, eye of round, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8 fat, all grades, cooked, roasted | 3.66 | 9.65 | | Beef, round, bottom round, separable lean only,trimmed to 1/8 fat, all grades, cooked, braised | 2.66 | 7.73 | | Beef, top sirloin, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8 fat, all grades, cooked, broiled | 2.22 | 5.84 | | Beef stew, canned entree | 2.22 | 5.38 | | Beef, round, eye of round, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8 fat, all grades, cooked, roasted | 1.62 | 4.71 | | Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, pan-fried | 1.49 | 4.68 | | Beef, cured, dried | 0.95 | 1.94 | Chicken | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, wing, meat and skin, cooked, fried, batter | 5.83 | 21.82 | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, thigh, meat and skin, cooked, fried, batter | 4.41 | 16.53 | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, drumstick, meat and skin, cooked, fried, batter | 4.14 | 15.75 | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, drumstick, meat and skin, cooked, fried, flour | 3.66 | 13.71 | | Chicken pot pie, frozen entree | 4.45 | 13.41 | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat and skin, cooked, fried, batter | 3.52 | 13.20 | | Chicken, stewing, meat only, cooked, stewed | 3.10 | 11.89 | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, dark meat, meat only, cooked, fried | 3.12 | 11.62 | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, thigh, meat only, cooked, roasted | 3.03 | 10.88 | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat and skin, cooked, fried, flour | 2.45 | 8.87 | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, neck, meat only, cooked, simmered | 2.10 | 8.17 | | Chicken, canned, meat only, with broth | 2.20 | 7.95 | | Chicken roll, light meat | 1.97 | 7.37 | | Chicken, liver, all classes, cooked, simmered | 2.06 | 6.53 | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, drumstick, meat only, cooked, roasted | 1.48 | 5.66 | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, light meat, meat only, cooked, fried | 1.52 | 5.54 | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, giblets, cooked, simmered | 1.32 | 4.50 | | Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted | 1.01 | 3.57 | More list of saturated fat food sources: Milk and milk products and egg (milk, cheese, egg, cream) The following links also have dietary information related to lowering cholesterol: Cholesterol: good or bad for health?
Cholesterol: benefits and how to raise HDL cholesterol level
More food stuffs high/low in cholesterol
Foods of animal origin high in cholesterol- USDA
Foods low in cholesterol content - USDA
Plant food that help lower cholesterol
List of food totally free of cholesterol
Cholesterol content in seafoods (tuna, salmon, shrimp)
Cookbooks for low cholesterol diet
Related links
Fruits and vegetables moderate lipid cardiovascular risk factor in hypertensive patients
References
Denke MA. 2006. Dietary fats, fatty acids, and their effects on lipoproteins. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 8(6):466-71.
Grundy S.M. 1989. Monounsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol metabolism: implications for dietary recommendations. Journal of Nutrition. 1989 Apr;119(4):529-33.
Hodson, L., Skeaff, C.M., Chisholm, W.A.2001. The effect of replacing dietary saturated fat with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat on plasma lipids in free-living young adults. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 55: 908-915.
Data adapted from USDA National Nutrient Database Reference, Release 18 |
Click here to search for cholesterol content of foods
