The science on saturated fat has become somewhat confusing, but it is still thought to contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease. From Harvard Medical School: “A diet rich in saturated fats can drive up total cholesterol, and tip the balance toward more harmful LDL cholesterol, which prompts blockages to form in arteries in the heart and elsewhere in the body. For that reason, most nutrition experts recommend limiting saturated fat to under 10% of calories a day.”