Saturated fat and unsaturated fat are both parts of the fat in a food, listed as separate grams. In 100 g of whole egg, USDA FoodData Central reports about 9.96 g of fat.1 About 3.2 g of that fat is saturated. Most of the rest is unsaturated, about 3.63 g monounsaturated and about 1.82 g polyunsaturated.
Saturated fat plus the two kinds of unsaturated fat can still be less than the total fat, because the table may list other fats too. If you only want saturated fat, read that line. If you want all the fat, read the total.
Saturated fat on the label
A large egg, shell off, is about 50 g. That is half the 100 g the table uses, so the saturated fat you eat is about 1.6 g. In one large egg, the monounsaturated fat is about 1.8 g and the polyunsaturated fat is about 0.9 g.
Saturated fat in one egg and in two eggs
Two large eggs have about 10 g of fat, and about 3.2 g of that is saturated. That matches 100 g of egg. Oil or butter in the pan is extra, and that fat belongs to the oil or the butter, from their own labels.
WHO limits saturated fat to 10% of daily energy
If a spread lists fat per 100 g and you use 10 g of it, take a tenth of each amount. The spoon has its own label, while the egg's 3.2 g of saturated fat stays with the egg. When you read a spread, use the numbers on that label.
WHO's healthy diet fact sheet sets saturated fat at no more than 10% of energy, and trans fat of any type at no more than 1%. On a 2,000 kcal day, 10% is 200 kcal. At about 9 kcal per gram of fat, that is about 22 g of saturated fat. One percent is 20 kcal, about 2 g of trans fat. A large egg's about 1.6 g of saturated fat is only a small part of that 22 g.2 The NHS also gives this in grams. Men are asked to stay at no more than 30 g of saturated fat a day. Women are asked to stay at no more than 20 g.
Two large eggs also match the unsaturated fat in 100 g of egg. The total fat is about 10 g. WHO's 10% of energy for saturated fat is about 22 g on a 2,000 kcal day. One large egg, about 1.6 g of saturated fat, is a small part of that 22 g. Two eggs are about 3.2 g. The unsaturated fat in one large egg is about 1.8 g monounsaturated and 0.9 g polyunsaturated. Two eggs bring those to about 3.6 g and 1.8 g. The trans fat cap on the same page is 1% of energy, about 2 g. A spread used at 10 g contributes a tenth of whatever its label prints per 100 g. If that label says 40 g of saturated fat per 100 g, the spoon is 4 g.
Too much saturated fat can raise cholesterol
The NHS says too much fat, especially saturated fat, can raise your cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease. The same page says there is good evidence that replacing saturated fat with some unsaturated fat can help to lower cholesterol.3 Unsaturated fat here is the monounsaturated fat and the polyunsaturated fat listed on the food. You still add saturated grams only to other saturated grams.
Fat on a Horlicks Protein sachet
A Horlicks Protein sachet lists 24 g of protein in 36 g. The saturated fat and the unsaturated fat on that sachet are the grams printed next to those words. Add saturated grams only to other saturated grams, and add the unsaturated grams only to other unsaturated grams. The egg's 1.6 g of saturated fat belongs to the egg. For the sachet, read the fat printed on the sachet. The Horlicks Protein milkshake is a 240 ml bottle with 20 g of ultra-filtered milk protein and 171 kcal. Its fat is whatever that label prints. Protein and fat are two different numbers.
To summarise, too much saturated fat can raise cholesterol and the risk of heart disease, and replacing some of it with unsaturated fat can help lower cholesterol. Saturated fat and unsaturated fat are two different numbers on the same food, not one lump called fat. In 100 g of whole egg there is about 9.96 g of fat, and about 3.2 g of that is saturated, so one large egg is about 1.6 g of saturated fat. The other fat amounts sit next to that. WHO's fact sheet keeps saturated fat to no more than 10% of energy, about 22 g on a 2,000 kcal day. The NHS says no more than 30 g a day for men and 20 g a day for women. A Horlicks Protein sachet lists 24 g of protein, and its fat grams are the ones printed on that sachet.
Sources
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USDA FoodData Central. Eggs, Grade A, Large, egg whole. FDC 748967.
View USDA FoodData Central. -
World Health Organization. Healthy diet.
View World Health Organization. -
NHS. Sugar: the facts.
View NHS.