Saturated fat has been thought to be a harmful contributor to heart attacks, particularly from milk and red meat. But the linkage hasn’t been definitively proven but there are three likely culprits:
TMAO (trimethylamine oxide) – Its formed by amino acids from meat, milk, fish and protein supplements. This chemical can punch small holes in arteries and then forms plaques.
Neu5Gc – This is a sugar chain found in mammal meat but not in humans. So, our immune system attacks these sugar chains just like it does germs. These antibodies and cytokines stay active to punch holes and cause plaque like the above example with TMAO.
Galactose – The same action of the above two substances is similar with galactose. This sugar is present in milk and butter. It occurs less though in fermented products like cheese and yogurt.
Read labels and keep saturated and trans fats to 8% of your total daily fat intake.