Marc Romera, nutritionist: "Butter has a fatty acid that promotes the good condition of the intestinal cells"

For decades, saturated fat has been treated as the number one enemy of cardiovascular health. Dietary guidelines have singled it out, while promoting "light" products and recommending minimizing its consumption. However, current science seems to have something to say on the matter. Nutritionist Marc Romera has debunked some of the biggest myths about this type of fat in a video on his Elite Fitness channel , arguing that "not all saturated fats are the same, nor do they act in the same way in the body."

Romera explains that “ butter contains a fatty acid called butyrate that promotes the growth and regeneration of intestinal cells.” This compound, he adds, “ helps maintain the intestinal mucosa in good condition , improves the health of the gut microbiota, and has a local anti-inflammatory effect.” Therefore, far from being considered a harmful food, the expert suggests that its moderate consumption, as part of a whole-food diet, can have positive effects.

The nutritionist points out that the problem isn't the natural fat in food , but rather the ultra-processed foods that have taken their place in our pantries. “For years we've avoided cheese, eggs, and butter, while filling our shopping baskets with industrial margarines, sugary cereals, and 'fat-free' products,” he warns. “And those are precisely the things that are damaging our metabolic health.”

The cholesterol myth and misinterpreted studies

Much of the bad reputation of saturated fats, Romera points out, stems from older studies that established a direct link between their consumption and cardiovascular mortality. “The famous Seven Countries Study, in the 1950s, was a clear example of how a poorly designed hypothesis can influence nutritional policy for decades,” she explains. Over time, new reviews and meta-analyses have refuted this connection, showing that there is no solid evidence linking naturally occurring saturated fats to an increased cardiovascular risk.

Romera insists that saturated fat is, in fact, a fundamental source of energy for the human body: “It is part of breast milk, surrounds our vital organs, and performs essential functions in metabolism. If it were as harmful as has been said, it would be difficult to explain why nature has used it in the most critical moments of evolution.”

According to the expert, the problem isn't butter, but the modern food environment. “We live surrounded by ultra-processed products designed to be irresistible, but which disrupt the gut microbiota, trigger inflammation, and deregulate hunger and satiety signals ,” he points out. Meanwhile, real food is demonized for its fat content.

Romera also denounces the influence of large corporations on official recommendations: “It is no coincidence that some nutritional pyramids are presented at events sponsored by sugary drinks. There are too many vested interests behind certain public health messages.”

The nutritionist encourages people to stop viewing food as simply a matter of macronutrient percentages. “It’s not about counting how much saturated fat you eat, but about understanding what food it comes from and in what context you consume it ,” he states. Having free-range eggs with avocado for breakfast is not the same as eating “fat-free” cookies loaded with sugar and refined oils.

For Romera, the key is to recover a real, varied diet that is consistent with human physiology : "We shouldn't fear quality saturated fats, but what has replaced them: industrial products that make us sick little by little while we believe we are eating healthily."

Fat, the nutritionist concludes, is not the enemy, but an essential nutrient that, when properly understood, can be a great ally for intestinal, metabolic, and hormonal health.