Is Eating Animal Fat Bad for You? What the Science Says
Animal fat has been part of human diets for thousands of years, but its effect on health remains a common topic of debate. Foods such as beef, pork, poultry, butter, lard, tallow, cream, and full-fat dairy can contain significant amounts of animal fat.
So, is eating animal fat bad for you?
The answer is more nuanced than simply saying all animal fat is “bad.” Animal fats contain energy and are part of many nutritious foods, but many animal fats are also high in saturated fat. Consuming too much saturated fat can raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, which is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. The type of fat you eat and what you eat instead of it are important considerations.
What Is Animal Fat?
Animal fat is fat derived from animals. It can occur naturally within meat and dairy products or be separated and used for cooking.
Common examples include:
- Beef fat (tallow)
- Pork fat (lard)
- Chicken and turkey fat
- Butter
- Cream
- Fat found in fatty cuts of beef and pork
- Fat in full-fat dairy products
- Duck and goose fat
Animal fats contain different types of fatty acids, including saturated and unsaturated fats. The proportions vary depending on the animal, the particular food, and how it is prepared.
Why Does Saturated Fat Matter?
One of the biggest concerns with eating large amounts of animal fat is its saturated-fat content.
Saturated fats are found naturally in many animal foods, including fatty meat, butter, cheese, cream, and poultry with skin. They can increase LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. Elevated LDL cholesterol is an established risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
The American Heart Association’s current guidance emphasizes replacing foods high in saturated fat with sources of unsaturated fat rather than simply replacing them with refined carbohydrates.
Does Eating Animal Fat Automatically Mean You Have an Unhealthy Diet?
No.
The overall eating pattern matters.
A meal containing some animal fat does not automatically make a person’s diet unhealthy. Health effects depend on factors such as:
- How much saturated fat you consume overall
- How frequently you eat high-fat foods
- Portion sizes
- The rest of your diet
- Your overall calorie intake
- Your physical activity
- Your individual health and cholesterol levels
The American Heart Association’s 2026 dietary guidance emphasizes looking at the overall dietary pattern rather than focusing on a single food or nutrient.
For example, there is a meaningful difference between occasionally eating a small amount of fatty meat as part of a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, and fish and regularly consuming large portions of fatty or processed meats.
Is All Animal Fat the Same?
Not necessarily.
Different animal foods contain different amounts and types of fat.
For example, fatty beef, pork, butter, and poultry skin can contain substantial amounts of saturated fat. Other animal foods, particularly some fish, provide predominantly unsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids.
This is one reason it can be misleading to classify every animal-derived fat as either “good” or “bad.”
The American Heart Association recommends regularly including fish and seafood as part of a heart-healthy dietary pattern while choosing leaner meats when meat is consumed.
Animal Fat and Heart Health
Heart health is one of the primary reasons experts recommend limiting saturated fat.
Eating too much saturated fat can increase LDL cholesterol. Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fats—particularly polyunsaturated fats—can help improve cardiovascular risk factors.
A Cochrane review involving nearly 60,000 participants found moderate-quality evidence that reducing saturated fat and replacing it with polyunsaturated fat reduces cardiovascular disease risk.
This doesn’t mean dietary fat should be eliminated. Instead, the type of fat matters.
What About Lard and Tallow?
Lard and beef tallow have become increasingly popular in some cooking circles, partly because they are traditional cooking fats and can withstand relatively high cooking temperatures.
However, both are animal fats and contain substantial amounts of saturated fat.
The American Heart Association lists lard and tallow among sources of saturated fat and recommends limiting saturated fats while choosing unsaturated fats in their place.
Using lard or tallow occasionally doesn’t necessarily mean you need to eliminate them completely. However, regularly using large quantities may make it harder to keep saturated-fat intake within recommended levels.
What About Butter?
Butter is another common source of animal fat.
It contains saturated fat, so replacing large amounts of butter with an unsaturated-fat source such as olive, canola, soybean, sunflower, or other non-tropical liquid plant oils can be a heart-healthier choice.
This doesn’t mean butter must disappear from your diet. Portion size and frequency matter.
For example, using a small amount of butter for flavor is different from using several tablespoons every day as the primary cooking fat.
How Much Saturated Fat Should You Eat?
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines have recommended keeping saturated fat below 10% of daily calories for people age 2 and older.
The American Heart Association uses a stricter target for cardiovascular health, recommending that saturated fat make up less than 6% of total calories. For someone eating 2,000 calories per day, that’s approximately 13 grams of saturated fat or less per day.
These numbers are useful guidelines, but individual dietary needs can differ.
People with high LDL cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or other health conditions may have different dietary recommendations from their healthcare professional.
What Should You Eat Instead of Animal Fat?
One of the most important questions isn’t simply, “What should I stop eating?”
It’s “What should replace it?”
Replacing saturated fat with certain unsaturated fats can be beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Options include:
- Olive oil
- Canola oil
- Soybean oil
- Sunflower oil
- Peanut oil
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Avocados
- Fatty fish
The American Heart Association specifically recommends using unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats as part of a heart-healthy eating pattern.
Replacing saturated fat with highly refined carbohydrates, such as foods made primarily from refined grains and added sugars, isn’t necessarily an equivalent health improvement. Research has found that the replacement nutrient matters.
Does Eating Less Animal Fat Help With Weight Loss?
Reducing animal fat can help reduce calorie intake if it replaces higher-calorie foods or reduces overall portion sizes.
However, simply removing fat from the diet doesn’t automatically lead to weight loss.
Fat contains approximately 9 calories per gram, compared with about 4 calories per gram for carbohydrates and protein. Therefore, high-fat foods can be calorie-dense.
Weight management depends on overall energy intake, food quality, physical activity, and other individual factors.
A healthy diet doesn’t necessarily have to be a very-low-fat diet.
What About Processed Meat?
It’s important to distinguish between animal fat itself and processed meat.
Foods such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and some other processed meats can contain substantial amounts of saturated fat and sodium, while also being highly processed.
A heart-healthy eating pattern generally emphasizes minimally processed foods and recommends minimizing processed forms of meat.
Therefore, choosing a smaller portion of minimally processed meat is not necessarily equivalent to regularly eating large amounts of processed meat.
Are There Any Benefits to Eating Fat?
Yes. Dietary fat isn’t inherently bad.
Your body needs fat for several important functions, including:
- Providing energy
- Absorbing fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K
- Supporting cell structure
- Providing essential fatty acids
- Supporting normal body functions
The issue is not simply whether you eat fat, but which fats you eat, how much you consume, and what foods make up the rest of your diet.
Is Animal Fat Better Than Vegetable Oil?
This depends on which vegetable oil you’re comparing it with.
Non-tropical liquid plant oils such as olive, canola, soybean, sunflower, and peanut oils generally contain more unsaturated fat and less saturated fat than solid animal fats such as butter and lard.
For cardiovascular health, replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats is generally the preferred approach.
However, “vegetable oil” is a broad category, and different oils have different nutritional profiles.
A Simple Way to Reduce Animal Fat
You don’t necessarily have to eliminate animal foods from your diet.
Instead, consider making gradual changes:
Choose leaner cuts of meat.
Trim visible fat from beef and pork when appropriate.
Remove poultry skin.
Skinless poultry generally contains less saturated fat than poultry with the skin.
Use smaller amounts of butter, lard, and tallow.
Cook with unsaturated oils more often.
Olive and canola oils are examples of liquid plant oils that are lower in saturated fat.
Eat more nuts, seeds, beans, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
Include fish regularly.
Watch portion sizes.
These changes can reduce saturated-fat intake without requiring you to completely eliminate meat or other animal foods.
The Bottom Line
So, is eating animal fat bad for you?
Eating animal fat isn’t automatically harmful, but many animal fats are high in saturated fat, and consuming too much saturated fat can raise LDL cholesterol and increase cardiovascular risk.
The current evidence and dietary guidance support focusing on an overall healthy eating pattern and replacing some saturated fat with unsaturated fats, rather than simply eliminating all dietary fat.
For most people, the goal doesn’t have to be “never eat animal fat.” A more practical approach is to limit foods particularly high in saturated fat, pay attention to portions, choose leaner animal foods, and regularly include foods rich in unsaturated fats.
If you have high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, or another medical condition, your personal dietary targets may be different, so it’s worth discussing them with your doctor or a registered dietitian.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is animal fat unhealthy?
Not necessarily. Animal fat can be part of a diet, but many animal fats are high in saturated fat. Too much saturated fat can raise LDL cholesterol and increase cardiovascular risk.
Is beef fat bad for your heart?
Beef fat, or tallow, contains saturated fat. Regularly consuming large amounts can make it harder to keep saturated-fat intake within recommended levels.
Is lard healthier than butter?
Neither should automatically be considered a “healthy fat.” Both contain saturated fat. For heart health, replacing some saturated fat from either source with unsaturated fats is generally recommended.
Can I eat meat and still have a healthy diet?
Yes. A healthy dietary pattern can include meat. Choosing leaner cuts, controlling portions, minimizing processed meats, and eating plenty of plant foods can help create a more balanced diet.
What is the healthiest fat to cook with?
For heart health, liquid non-tropical plant oils such as olive and canola oil are generally preferred over solid fats high in saturated fat.
Should I completely avoid saturated fat?
Most dietary guidance recommends limiting rather than completely eliminating saturated fat. The focus should be on keeping intake within recommended levels and replacing some saturated fat with unsaturated fat.
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