For decades, we've been told not to eat saturated fat. We were warned that saturated fat consumption would lead to heart disease, poor health and an untimely death. But leading U.S. cardiovascular research scientist and doctor of pharmacy Dr. James DiNicolantonio says this just isn't the case.
In a March 5, 2014 article, he said that avoiding saturated fat and eating more carbohydrates and omega 6-rich polyunsaturated fats does not have the health benefits previously thought and that research does not substantiate the belief that such a diet will reduce heart disease or result in longer life.
DiNicolantonio said that this inaccurate view surfaced in a study in 1952, which ignored information from 16 countries and relied solely on data from only six countries. He said that large observational studies have not proven that risk for cardiovascular disease is decreased by eating low fat.
The reality he said, is that refined carbohydrates are responsible for much of the obesity and diabetes increase that has overtaken the United States.
DiNicolantonio said that recently analyzed published trial data has indicated that replacing saturated and trans fats with more omega-6 essential fatty acids without increasing consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, causes an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease.
In an editorial in the journal Open Heart he said, "We need a public health campaign as strong as the one we had in the 70s and 80s demonising saturated fats, to say that we got it wrong."
He recommended a diet that has less in the way of processed foods, refined carbohydrates and sugar. He advised that people who have had a heart attack steer clear of both refined carbohydrates and omega-6 fatty acids, and include saturated fats in their diets instead.
Other research that was published on March 18, 2014 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine also does not support limiting saturated fatty acids and increasing polyunsaturated fats, in order to decrease the incidence of coronary heart disease.
Existing cohort studies and randomised trials concerning fatty acid consumption and coronary risk were evaluated by an international team headed up by University of Cambridge.
Data from 72 unique studies was evaluated. Over 600,000 people from 18 different countries had been studied. Researchers found no link between consumption of saturated fatty acids and risk for coronary disease.
There was also found that cardiovascular risk was not linked with consuming total monounsaturated fatty acids, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation said, "This analysis of existing data suggests there isn't enough evidence to say that a diet rich in polyunsaturated fats but low in saturated fats reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease," an article on ScienceDaily.com reported.
Sources:
Low saturated fat diets don't curb heart disease risk or help you live longer. ScienceDaily.com. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140305191429.htm
New evidence raises questions about the link between fatty acids and heart disease. ScienceDaily.com. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140317174502.htm
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Reviewed July 15, 2014
by Michele Blacksberg RN