Saturated Fat Myth – Meta-Analysis on Saturated Fat and Heart Disease

This is the second in a 10-part series where I break down key studies on the carnivore diet. You can find the full list here: https://tandemresults.com/carnivore-diet-studies/

This week, we’re tackling the saturated fat myth—a belief that’s kept a lot of us scared of foods that could actually help.

For years, we’ve been told to fear fat.

Especially saturated fat.

Butter, bacon, cream, steak—lumped into the “bad” column, blamed for heart disease and clogged arteries.

But what if that story wasn’t the whole truth?

Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

What the research actually says

A 2010 meta-analysis looked at 21 studies covering nearly 350,000 people.

They found no significant evidence that saturated fat increased the risk of heart disease.

That’s right—no connection.

You can read the study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20071648/

This wasn’t some fringe blog post. This was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

It rocked the nutrition world. But most folks never heard about it.

Because fear sells. Simplicity sells.

“Fat = bad” is an easy soundbite. But health is more nuanced than that.

How this hit home for me

I used to live off fat-free yogurt and veggie burgers.

I thought I was doing the right thing.

But I was cold. Moody. Constantly hungry.

It wasn’t until I added back fatty cuts of meat, eggs, and butter that my energy returned.

My mood stabilized. My cravings eased up.

I wasn’t “indulging”—I was finally nourishing myself.

Real food vs fake fear

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Fat from whole foods—like beef, eggs, and cheese—isn’t the enemy.

Ultra-processed junk, inflammatory oils, and constant blood sugar spikes? Those are the real problems.

When I focused on nutrient-dense animal foods, things shifted.

Hair stopped falling out. Sleep got deeper. Energy came back.

This isn’t a miracle fix—but it’s a start.

Why this matters for you

If you’ve been stuck in diet brain—always cutting, always avoiding, always hungry—it’s not your fault.

You’ve been following rules built on shaky ground.

It’s not about eating butter by the stick. But it’s okay to stop fearing fat.

Your brain, hormones, and metabolism need it.

Especially if you’re exhausted, gaining weight, or hitting a wall with your health.

One small step you can try

Try swapping out low-fat snacks for real food with natural fat.

Instead of a granola bar, have a hard-boiled egg.

Instead of fat-free salad dressing, drizzle olive oil or use a homemade ranch with sour cream.

Notice how your hunger changes. How your mood feels. How long you stay full.

Tiny shifts like this can make a big difference.

Final thought

You can’t outwillpower bad biochemistry.

If your body is starved of real fuel, it will keep crying out—for sugar, for snacks, for relief.

Giving it what it truly needs isn’t indulgent. It’s wise. It’s healing.

And it might just be the piece you’ve been missing.