If scientists find out that omega-3 fats (like those in fish) cancel out the bad effects of saturated fats (like butter or cheese) on cholesterol, then maybe we shouldn’t be told to avoid saturated fats so strictly anymore.

Eating saturated fats like butter or meat might not raise your cholesterol if you also eat enough omega-3 fats from fish or nuts—so it’s not just the saturated fat that matters, but what else you’re eating with it.

Some fish oils might help reduce the bad effect that fatty foods like butter and meat have on your blood fats, but we’re not totally sure yet.

If you swap out butter and fatty meats for oils like olive or sunflower oil, you might slightly lower your chance of having a heart problem — but the evidence isn’t super strong.

People who eat more fish or other sources of omega-3s don’t seem to have much lower risk of heart disease, according to this review of many studies.

Taking fish oil supplements doesn’t seem to lower your risk of having a heart attack or other heart disease, according to this review of many clinical trials.