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Is Cacao Butter the healthiest plant saturated fat? Would grassfed tallow be healthier?

Now we all know saturated fats are healthy in moderation and can be healthy if you live a healthy lifestyle and only use quality saturated fats in the appropriate quantities.

Im curious if saturated fat from grassfed tallow (or even butter/ghee) is healthier than cacao butter or even coconut oil.

Where/how can I learn the micro differences between the two? I know tallow has omega 3s. Cacao butter does not but has stearic acid, so could be a vegan source of stearic acid. Coconut oil does not have stearic acid.

Can anyone here tell me what saturated fat does for the body that other fats cannot do? Are there certain acids the body needs that can ONLY be found in saturated fats? Thank you!

I know stuff like CLA and Stearic Acid are found in animal saturated fats.

Not sure why this post keeps getting downvoted. Im not backing saturated fat here, im just stating known nutritional knowledge. I understand my post can be interpreted as “pro sat fat” but thats not the case at all. Im QUESTIONING the acid profile of a plant fat that doesnt have data proving it can cause problems as opposed to something that is regarded as healthy in moderation.

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Answer

Not to be flippant, but if you’re at the point where this is the biggest potential health change you can make to your diet and lifestyle, then I highly doubt that your choice of saturated fat will create any appreciable difference in your overall health outside of the placebo effect.

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The issue is not as cut and dry as you depict it.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/difference-between-saturated-fats-and-unsaturated-fats-697517

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/are-vegetable-and-seed-oils-bad#heart-disease

Answer

Not sure where you are getting your information, and perhaps I am out of the loop, but saturated fats are (as I understand it) something you want to limit or avoid in ones diet. They contribute to higher cholesterol leading to a higher risk of heart disease.

Poly- and monounsaturated fats are fine.

^(Partner works in diabetes area.)

Answer

Regardless of source, high saturated fat intake is still associated with cvd risk regardless of lifestyle. Although some reaserch may suggest dairy fat isn’t as detrimental the focus should still be on monk and polyunsaturates, eg nuts, seeds, fish, extra virgin olive oil, etc and complex unrefined carbs like beans, lentils, wholegrains and unprocessed root veg as well as eating lots of fruits, vegetables and lean protein.

Answer

Yes - Expert opinions have shifted somewhat on consumption of certain satfats. But asking if tallow is better than cocao butter is better than coconut oil seems like trolling the satfat libs.

Red meat fats and dairy butter are specifically linked to higher risk of disease.

 

‘In contrast, there were differences in CHD [coronary heart disease] risk when food sources of SFAs were considered, with a lower CHD incidence with consumption of SFAs from fermented dairy products (yogurt and cheese) and fish, but a higher CHD incidence with consumption of SFAs from red meat and butter.’

Dietary Fatty Acids, Macronutrient Substitutions, Food Sources and Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease: Findings From the EPIC‐CVD Case‐Cohort Study Across Nine European Countries, JAHA 2021

 

All satfats can be synthesized de novo by humans so are technically they’re non-essential. All biologically produced satfats are of animal origin. Whether specific dietary satfats provide benefits beyond replacing less healthful satfats is not agreed on.

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