ABSTRACT
Given their cholesterol-raising ability and (like other fats) higher caloric content per gram compared to proteins or carbohydrates, saturated fatty acids (SFAs) have been a focus of dietary guidelines for cardiovascular health since their inception. Restriction of this class of fatty acids was advised, however, without reference to the replacement nutrient, in part contributing to food formulations high in sugars and refined carbohydrates that can adversely affect cardiometabolic health. Moreover, in light of more recent research highlighting factors that modulate the effects of SFAs on cardiometabolic risk, including the heterogeneity of SFAs themselves, food sources of SFAs, and variation in individual responsiveness to diet, a foods-based approach that moves away from targeting restriction of SFAs as a whole is warranted. A reevaluation of how nutritional science is communicated to the public is further informed by recent research demonstrating diets high in SFAs and low in carbohydrate as an effective therapeutic regimen for some individuals with obesity and/or diabetes. Future dietary recommendations should emphasize individualized approaches that consider both the context of the SFAs consumed and the individuals consuming them.
