# Saturated fat: what it is, what it does, how much people need
Canonical: https://nutritionizm.com/nutrients/saturated-fat/
Source: US FDA Daily Value table, WHO healthy diet fact sheet, USDA FoodData Central
License: USDA FoodData Central values are public domain (CC0 1.0); Nutritionizm compilation and plain-language text are licensed under CC BY 4.0 (attribution: link to Canonical URL).

Saturated fat is a kind of fat found in many foods.

## What it is

Saturated fat is a type of fat found in foods. It comes from animal foods like meat and dairy. It also comes from some plant foods like coconut. It is a part of the fat in food.

## What it does

The body can use saturated fat for energy, and it makes the saturated fat it needs by itself. WHO says people should eat no more than 10 percent of their daily energy as saturated fat. WHO suggests swapping it for unsaturated fats, or for fibre-rich carbs.

## How much people need

- FDA Daily Value for saturated fat: 20 g. It is a reference amount used on Nutrition Facts labels, not a personal target. Source: [US FDA](https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/daily-value-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels).
- WHO: no more than 10 percent of total energy intake should come from saturated fat. Source: [WHO](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet).

## Common myths

- **Myth:** Only animal foods contain saturated fat at all. **Truth:** Some plant foods, such as coconut and palm oil, contain saturated fat as well.
- **Myth:** Saturated fat is a nutrient the body must get from food. **Truth:** The body makes the saturated fat it needs, so there is no need to eat extra.

## Sources and background

The sections on what it is, what it does and the myths are general background from [NIH MedlinePlus: Dietary Fats](https://medlineplus.gov/dietaryfats.html), checked on 29 October 2026. The intake figures above carry their own sources.

## Top foods (g per 100 g)

- [Coconut Oil](https://nutritionizm.com/food/oil-coconut/): 82.5 g
- [Butter](https://nutritionizm.com/food/butter-salted/): 51.368 g
- [Heavy Cream](https://nutritionizm.com/food/cream-fluid-heavy-whipping/): 23.032 g
- [Cream](https://nutritionizm.com/food/cream-heavy/): 20.45 g
- [Cream Cheese](https://nutritionizm.com/food/cream-cheese-full-fat-block/): 19.73 g
- [Avocado Oil](https://nutritionizm.com/food/oil-avocado/): 11.56 g
- [Margarine](https://nutritionizm.com/food/margarine-spread-40-49-fat-tub/): 11.055 g
- [Cashew Butter](https://nutritionizm.com/food/nuts-cashew-butter-plain-with-salt-added/): 10.606 g