Saturated fat

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of calories a day. The American Heart Association recommends staying under 7% of daily calories.

Why? Because saturated fat tends to raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood. High cholesterol levels can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Saturated fat occurs naturally in red meat and dairy products. It's also found in baked goods and fried foods.

Trans fat occurs naturally in small amounts in red meat and dairy products. Trans fat can also be manufactured by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil.

This artificial form of trans fat is known as partially hydrogenated oil. It has unhealthy effects on cholesterol levels and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. For this reason, partially hydrogenated oil can no longer be added to foods in the U.S.