Saturated Fats And Heart Disease: No Link Found

Saturated Fats And Heart Disease: No Link Found
A study finds there is no evidence to support current guidelines on restricting eating saturated fats to prevent heart disease.

A massive international study of 600,000 people's diets has found saturated fats like butter may not be as unhealthy as first thought.

For decades, health advice has been to cut down on saturated fats - found in butter, biscuits, fatty cuts of meat, cheese and cream.

And instead people were urged to eat polyunsaturated fats - found in olive and sunflower oils and other non-animal fats.

However, research led by Cambridge University scientists, indicates there is no evidence to support current guidelines which restrict eating saturated fats to prevent heart disease.

The team collated results from 72 unique studies from 18 different countries and also found "insufficient support for guidelines which advocate the high consumption of polyunsaturated fats (such as omega 3 and omega 6) to reduce the risk of coronary disease".

The findings are at odds with decades-old advice on how to eat healthily to take care of our hearts.

Current NHS guidelines say a diet high in saturated fat can raise the level of cholesterol in the blood and increase the risk of heart disease.

Men are not recommended to eat more than 30g of saturated fats and women no more than 20g.

However, most of us eat 20% more than this, which is considered to be unhealthy.

Dr Rajiv Chowdhury, the lead author of the research, said: "These are interesting results that potentially stimulate new lines of scientific inquiry and encourage careful reappraisal of our current nutritional guidelines.

"In 2008, more than 17 million people died from a cardiovascular cause globally.

"With so many affected by this illness, it is critical to have appropriate prevention guidelines which are informed by the best available scientific evidence."

The British Heart Foundation, which commissioned the research, says the findings could mean it is time to look into this accepted wisdom.

The organisation is calling for more studies to clarify what is good and bad for our hearts.

But is stresses that the findings do not mean it is fine to eat lots of cheese, pies and cakes.

http://news.sky.com/story/1227846/saturated-fats-and-heart-disease-no-link-found

Extremely glad I never listened and don't touch marg or speads, always stuck to butter. Don't have processed food, all fresh, lots of fruit and veg and I love cheese. My cholesterol has never been higher than 4.5.

Since I dumped the last one does this mean that I can buy a new chip pan?

I think it does!

Sassy wrote:I think it does!

Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade will be delighted at the news

   "ONE Swallow doesn't make a Spring..".

That study apparently makes no real and significance references to the effects of either Cholesterol or Arteriosclerosis; nor excessive fat intake's part in weight gain and obesity; either..

So just one more "broad sweep paper chase" study (even if the biggest so far ?) won't be making any difference to my lifestyle, either way.    

I have always said this , i posted about it on ado and got shot down for it , it makes a mockery of the reports in the first place .

Irn Bru wrote:

Sassy wrote:I think it does!

Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade will be delighted at the news

buy a deep fat fryer and fill it lard the chips are better tasting , i have to say though i don't care for the smell of lard .

I agree, lard makes much better chips! But the smell fills the whole house. When I had one, used to make my own fish and chips with fresh fish and beer batter. Threw it out though. Been watching James Martin cooking lately and he just loves his butter etc lol

another huge turn around, not surprised life is all about balance it's as simple as that, 10 years time they will decide burgers are toxic but it will change again...

Like ny doctor told me two years ago, whilst talking about my slightly raised cholesterol levels...Its NOT what you eat...its what your body does with it thats the problem....

that's why exercise will bring cholesterol levels down

Sassy wrote:I agree, lard makes much better chips!   But the smell fills the whole house.   When I had one, used to make my own fish and chips with fresh fish and beer batter.   Threw it out though.   Been watching James Martin cooking lately and he just loves his butter etc lol

Its better for your skin too we need fat it makes us look younger   

Heredity has so much to do with it, too -- I've never eaten a particularly high-fat diet but I've always had borderline-high cholesterol, just like my mom's side of the family.

Ben_Reilly wrote:Heredity has so much to do with it, too -- I've never eaten a particularly high-fat diet but I've always had borderline-high cholesterol, just like my mom's side of the family.

Fatty foods play havoc with my digestive system