Saturated Fat: High levels are dangerous - research here.

Fats are made of long chains of Carbon atoms - in the periodical table, the symbol for Carbon is C. Some carbon atoms are linked by single bonds - for example: C-C-:  others are linked by double bonds - for example: C=C=.  Double bonds can react with Hydrogen to form single bonds. Thet are called "saturated", because the second bond is broken and each half of the bond is attached to (or saturated) a hydrogen atom.

Most animal fats are saturated. The fats of plants and fish are generally unsaturated.  Guidelines released by many medical organisations, including the World Health Organisation, have advocated for reduction in the intake of saturated fat to promote health and reduce the risk from cardiovascular diseases.

Now, a study by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition has warned that too much saturated fat - commonly found in milk, cheese, butter, biscuits etc. - raises cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. Instead people should switch to unsaturated oils, found in avocados, and oily fish.

The dietary body reported we should be aiming to get just ten per cent of our calories from saturated fats. The current average is around 13.5 per cent.

Some people have suggested warning people off butter and steak is counterproductive, as they would turn to alternatives such as white bread and sugar.

Not all the research days the same thing. Last year a study of more than 218,000 found those eating the most dairy and red meat saw chances of an early death fall by 25 per cent.  But many scientists said that this was okay if people limited their intake.  Professor Naveed Sattar, an expert in metabolic medicine at Glasgow University, said: "the evidence continue to suggest saturated fats increase cholesterol and the risk of heart disease remains clear."

A former obesity Czar (there are such things), Susan Jebb, said that saturated fats intake must be reduced. By doing that it would also cut total calorie intake, and less sugar in the diet too, bringing with it much wider health benefits.