February 9, 2010
The latest word on saturated fat looks like a "green light" to eat as much as you want.
But it really isn't.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition analyzed previous studies and found a diet high in saturated fat doesn't increase your risk of stroke or heart disease.
Most doctors say some saturated fat from products like red meat, butter and cheese is ok, but it should be limited.
The new analysis looked at studies which followed almost 350,000 generally healthy adults for at least five years.
Eventually, 11,000 developed heart disease or had a stroke.
But people who consumed the most fat did not appear to be at greater risk.
The American Heart Association says you should get no more than seven percent of your calories from saturated fat.
Saturated fats can raise levels of "bad" cholesterol and elevated "bad" cholesterol is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke.