What are the recommendations regarding dietary intake of saturated fats, such as beef tallow?

From the Guidelines

The recommendation regarding saturated fats like beef tallow is to limit their intake to less than 10% of total energy intake, replacing them with polyunsaturated fatty acids to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. This guideline is based on the most recent and highest quality evidence from the 2016 European Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice 1. The evidence suggests that replacing 1% of energy intake from saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids can reduce the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) by 2-3%.

Key Recommendations

• Limit saturated fatty acid intake to less than 10% of total energy intake
• Replace saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids
• Consume a balanced diet with a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins
• Limit intake of trans unsaturated fatty acids to as little as possible, preferably less than 1% of total energy intake

Rationale

The rationale for these recommendations is based on the evidence that saturated fatty acids can increase the risk of CAD, while polyunsaturated fatty acids can reduce this risk. The guidelines also recommend limiting intake of trans unsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to be especially harmful due to their unfavourable impact on both total cholesterol and HDL-C levels.

Practical Implementation

For practical implementation, consider using beef tallow as one of several cooking fats in your kitchen rather than your exclusive option. A reasonable approach is to limit saturated fat intake to about 10% of total daily calories, which for a 2,000 calorie diet means approximately 20 grams of saturated fat daily. This balanced perspective acknowledges that natural saturated fats have been part of human diets historically, while recognizing that excessive consumption may contribute to cardiovascular concerns in some individuals.

From the Research

Recommendations for Dietary Intake of Saturated Fats

• The current evidence suggests that reducing saturated fat intake is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, with a recommended intake of less than 10% of total daily energy for the general healthy population and further reduction (e.g., to 5-6% of total daily energy) for patients with hypercholesterolemia 2.
• Reducing dietary saturated fat reduces serum cholesterol, and replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat or carbohydrate appears to be a useful strategy for reducing cardiovascular risk 3.
• The evidence supports the recommendation to limit saturated fat intake, particularly for people with clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, or diabetes mellitus 2.
• Curtailment of beef tallow in a cholesterol-lowering diet seems appropriate, as beef tallow is hypercholesterolemic compared with fats containing less cholesterol-raising saturated fatty acid 4.

Effects of Replacing Saturated Fats with Other Nutrients

• Replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other metabolic syndromes 5.
• Replacement of saturated fat calories with polyunsaturated fat or carbohydrate appears to be useful for reducing cardiovascular risk, while the effects of replacement with monounsaturated fat and protein are less clear 3.
• Epidemiologic research has shown that replacement of saturated fats with unsaturated fat, but not refined carbohydrate and added sugars, is associated with a reduction in coronary heart disease events and death 6.

Specific Considerations for Beef Tallow

• Beef tallow is a source of stearic acid, which has a neutral effect on cholesterol concentrations, but the overall effect of beef tallow on serum cholesterol is still hypercholesterolemic compared with other fats 4.
• Partial replacement of high-fat diet with beef tallow may attenuate dyslipidemia and endoplasmic reticulum stress in certain populations, such as db/db mice 5.
• Lean beef, which is lower in saturated fat, may not need to be eliminated from cholesterol-lowering diets, as it is no more hypercholesterolemic than chicken or fish 4.