The report analysed the saturated fat content of a variety of starters, main courses, side orders and desserts from popular cook books and discovered that many celebrity chefs' recipes contained more than 100% of the guideline daily amount (GDA) of saturated fat (30g for men and 20g for women) in a single serving.

Whilst this would be acceptable if they were consumed occasionally or as a treat, few people realise the potential health risks of eating these meals often. With pressure on for more people to cook from scratch at home, it is important for people to understand how these recipes can be easily and simply adapted so they can still cook them and enjoy them but also make them more healthy.

The report went on to show how some simple swaps and switches can make a dramatic difference to saturated fat content, without affecting the flavour and food experience.

For instance, simply swapping butter and cream for margarine or a vegetable oil based spread and yoghurt in one recipe – baked apples by John Burton Race and Allegra Hicks - would reduce the saturated fat content by 83%, from 120% of a woman's GDA of saturated fat (24g) to just 20% (24g down to 4g of saturated fat).

Sian Porter, registered dietician on The Fat Panel, commented on these  results: "Having a celeb chef treat is one thing but eating these dishes as they stand regularly could bump up your saturated fat intake considerably. Many chefs are making headway in creating healthier dishes, but there is still some way to go.

"On average, we are each eating 20% too much saturated fat and there is considerable evidence that eating too much of this 'bad' fat can increase levels of LDL cholesterol, which can increase the risk of coronary artery disease. Simple steps to cut down on the amount of saturated fat, such as adapting recipes by swapping less healthy ingredients and using healthier cooking methods, could potentially save thousands of lives and years of living with heart disease."