nutrient
Saturated fat
Saturated fatty acids contain no carbon–carbon double bonds.
They occur in many foods and are one component of total fat; their dietary interpretation depends on the wider food pattern and replacement nutrient.
A chemical class
The name refers to the absence of double bonds in the fatty-acid chain. Saturated fatty acids vary in chain length and food source, so one category can contain chemically and nutritionally different members.
Food sources
Per 100 g| Food | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Beef ribeye, raw | 7.97 g |
| English walnuts, raw | 6.05 g |
| Ground beef, 90% lean and 10% fat | 5.05 g |
| Almonds, dry-roasted and salted | 4.56 g |
| Almonds | 3.78 g |
Show 20 more foods
| Food | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Ground flaxseed | 3.28 g |
| Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw (SR Legacy 2018) | 3.05 g |
| Roasted beef tenderloin | 2.47 g |
| Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked (SR Legacy 2018) | 2.4 g |
| Plain whole-milk yogurt | 2.32 g |
| Atlantic salmon, farmed, raw | 2.28 g |
| Hummus, commercial | 2.22 g |
| Braised chicken drumstick | 1.6 g |
| Atlantic sardines, canned in oil (SR Legacy 2018) | 1.53 g |
| Cottage cheese, 2% fat | 1.26 g |
| Braised chicken breast | 1.01 g |
| Salmon | 0.72 g |
| Rainbow trout, wild, raw (SR Legacy 2018) | 0.72 g |
| Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified | 0.57 g |
| Chicken breast, raw | 0.35 g |
| Soy milk, unsweetened and shelf-stable | 0.31 g |
| Light tuna, canned in water, drained | 0.22 g |
| Greek yogurt, plain nonfat | 0.11 g |
| Spinach, raw (SR Legacy 2018) | 0.06 g |
| Lentils, cooked and salted (SR Legacy 2018) | 0.05 g |
About these amounts
These values describe the named food and preparation. A 100 g comparison is not a suggested serving. Small amounts are rounded for display; an unreported amount is not zero.
Portions recorded by the source
- Almonds, dry-roasted and salted: 1 cup (135 g) — 6.16 g.
- Roasted beef tenderloin: 1 roast (462 g) — 11.41 g.
- Hummus, commercial: 2 tablespoon (33.9 g) — 0.75 g.
- Braised chicken drumstick: 1 drumstick (104 g) — 1.66 g.
- Cottage cheese, 2% fat: 1 cup (220 g) — 2.77 g.
- Braised chicken breast: 1 piece (174 g) — 1.76 g.
- Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified: 1 cup (246 g) — 1.4 g.
- Light tuna, canned in water, drained: 1 can (142 g) — 0.32 g.
- Greek yogurt, plain nonfat: 1 container (156 g) — 0.17 g.
The source records and EFSA guidance are linked in References below.
Related topics
Total fat includes Saturated fat
Total fat is a compositional category that includes saturated fatty acids.
Worth knowing
EFSA wording. EFSA concludes that saturated-fat intake should be as low as possible within the context of an adequate diet.
A closer look
Class and outcome are separate
A composition label identifies a fatty-acid class. It does not by itself establish the effect of a food or a replacement pattern on health.
Replacement is part of the evidence
A saturated-fat comparison changes when the replacement is unsaturated fat, carbohydrate or another food component.
References
Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.
- European Food Safety AuthorityScientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fats, including saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and cholesterolChecked 2026-09-05
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData Central Foundation Foods, April 2026 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData Central SR Legacy, April 2018 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
- European Food Safety AuthorityScientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesiumChecked 2026-09-04
- NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsMagnesium: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-04
- USDA Agricultural Research ServiceFoodData CentralChecked 2026-09-04
- NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsVitamin D: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-05
Take it into the kitchen
Explore this nutrient in simple meals. Recipe pages show estimated amounts and missing data.
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