nutrient
Saturated fat
Saturated fatty acids contain no carbon–carbon double bonds.
Educational draft · Human scientific and editorial review pending. About review status
They occur in many foods and are one component of total fat; their dietary interpretation depends on the wider food pattern and replacement nutrient.
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.
How it works
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.
Related topics
Total fat includes Saturated fat
Total fat is a compositional category that includes saturated fatty acids.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: European Food Safety Authority: Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fats, including saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol
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 Authority (opens in new tab)Scientific 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 Service (opens in new tab)FoodData Central Foundation Foods, April 2026 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (opens in new tab)FoodData Central SR Legacy, April 2018 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
- European Food Safety Authority (opens in new tab)Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesiumChecked 2026-09-04
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (opens in new tab)Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-04
- USDA Agricultural Research Service (opens in new tab)FoodData CentralChecked 2026-09-04
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (opens in new tab)Vitamin 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.
Coconut ginger chicken rice · 25 min →
Spinach chickpea coconut pot · 20 min →
Chickpea cauliflower coconut curry · 25 min →
Compare meals by saturated fat →