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 from high to low total fat content.
| Fat food sources | Saturated fat (grams/100 grams food) | Total fat (lipid) (grams/100 grams food) |
Milk and related products | ||
| Milk, canned, condensed, sweetened | 5.49 | 8.70 |
| Milk, canned, evaporated, without added vitamin A | 4.59 | 7.56 |
| Milk, buttermilk, dried | 3.60 | 5.85 |
| Milk, chocolate, fluid, commercial, whole | 2.10 | 3.39 |
| Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat | 1.87 | 3.25 |
| Milk shakes, thick vanilla | 1.89 | 3.03 |
| Milk shakes, thick chocolate | 1.68 | 2.70 |
| Milk, reduced fat, fluid, 2% milkfat, with added vitamin A | 1.26 | 1.97 |
| Milk, chocolate, fluid, commercial, reduced fat | 1.18 | 1.90 |
| Milk, chocolate, fluid, commercial, lowfat | 0.62 | 1.00 |
| Milk, lowfat, fluid, 1% milkfat, with added vitamin A | 0.63 | 0.97 |
| Milk, dry, nonfat, instant, with added vitamin A | 0.47 | 0.74 |
| Milk, canned, evaporated, nonfat | 0.12 | 0.20 |
| Milk, nonfat, fluid, with added vitamin A (fat free or skim) | 0.12 | 0.08 |
Cream | ||
| Cream, fluid, heavy whipping | 23.03 | 37.00 |
| Cream substitute, powdered | 32.55 | 35.50 |
| Cream, fluid, light whipping | 19.34 | 30.93 |
| Cream, whipped, cream topping, pressurized | 13.83 | 22.33 |
| Cream, sour, cultured | 13.05 | 21.00 |
| Cream, fluid, light (coffee cream or table cream) | 12.02 | 19.33 |
| Cream, sour, reduced fat, cultured | 7.47 | 12.00 |
| Cream, fluid, half and half | 7.16 | 11.53 |
| Cream substitute, liquid, with hydrogenated vegetable oil and soy protein | 1.94 | 10.00 |
Cheese | ||
| Cheese, cream | 21.97 | 34.90 |
| Cheese, cheddar | 21.09 | 33.16 |
| Cheese, pasteurized process, american, with di sodium phosphate | 19.69 | 31.25 |
| Cheese, muenster | 19.11 | 30.05 |
| Cheese, blue | 18.67 | 28.75 |
| Cheese, parmesan, grated | 17.30 | 28.60 |
| Cheese, swiss | 17.78 | 27.80 |
| Cheese, provolone | 17.08 | 26.63 |
| Cheese, pasteurized process, swiss, with di sodium phosphate | 16.05 | 25.01 |
| Cheese, camembert | 15.26 | 24.26 |
| Cheese, neufchatel | 14.80 | 23.42 |
| Cheesecake commercially prepared | 9.92 | 22.50 |
| Cheese, mozzarella, whole milk | 13.15 | 22.36 |
| Cheese, feta | 14.95 | 21.27 |
| Cheese spread, pasteurized process, american, without di sodium phosphate | 13.33 | 21.23 |
| Cheese, mozzarella, part skim milk, low moisture | 12.67 | 20.04 |
| Cheese sauce, prepared from recipe | 8.03 | 14.92 |
| Cheese, ricotta, whole milk | 8.30 | 12.98 |
| Cheese, ricotta, part skim milk | 4.93 | 7.91 |
| Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby | 4.34 | 6.98 |
| Cheese, cottage, creamed, large or small curd | 2.85 | 4.51 |
| Cheese, cottage, creamed, with fruit | 2.31 | 3.85 |
| Cheese, cottage, lowfat, 2% milkfat | 1.22 | 1.93 |
| Cheese, cream, fat free | 0.90 | 1.35 |
| Cheese, cottage, lowfat, 1% milkfat | 0.65 | 1.02 |
| Cheese, cottage, nonfat, uncreamed, dry, large or small curd | 0.27 | 0.42 |
Egg | ||
| Egg, yolk, raw, fresh | 9.55 | 26.57 |
| Egg, whole, cooked, fried | 4.29 | 15.30 |
| Egg, whole, cooked, scrambled | 3.68 | 12.21 |
| Egg, whole, cooked, hard-boiled | 3.27 | 10.62 |
| Egg, whole, raw, fresh | 2.67 | 9.95 |
| Egg, whole, raw, fresh | 2.73 | 9.94 |
| Egg, whole, raw, fresh | 4.08 | 9.93 |
| Egg, whole, cooked, poached | 3.09 | 9.90 |
| Eggnog | 4.44 | 7.48 |
| Egg substitute, liquid | 0.66 | 3.31 |
| Egg, white, raw, fresh | 0.00 | 0.18 |
More list of saturated fat food sources: Meat and Meat products (beef, pork, chicken)
Fatty acid related links:
Daily intake of omega fatty acid DHA lowers diastolic blood pressure
Unsaturated fat: food high in polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat
Saturated fat: food high in saturated fat and total fat
Triglycerides: causes of high serum triglyceride
Types of fatty acids
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
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