Backlash after report claims saturated fats do not increase heart risk

Saturated fat does not increase the risk of a heart attack by clogging up arteries, three cardiologists have said in a challenge to medical thinking, sparking a furious backlash.

In an editorial published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine the cardiologists also write that relying on foodstuffs marketed as “low fat” or “proved to lower cholesterol” to avoid heart disease is “misguided”.

A key previous research study, they say, “showed no association between saturated fat consumption and all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease, CHD mortality, ischaemic stroke or type-2 diabetes in healthy adults”. Instead they say that a Mediterranean-style diet and 22 minutes of walking a day are the best ways to prevent heart problems.

The paper co-authored by Pascal Meier, a cardiologist at University College London and editor of the journal BMJ Open Heart; Rita Redberg, the editor of the American journal JAMA Internal Medicine; and Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist at the NHS’s Lister hospital in Stevenage, has triggered furious criticism from a range of experts in cardiology and evidence-based medicine. Some said the views were not based on reliable evidence and would mislead consumers and further confuse the public over which foods they should eat and which they should avoid.

They also dismiss the potential for a smaller intake of saturated fats to help prevent heart disease. “There is no benefit from reduced fat, including saturated fat, on myocardial infarction [heart attacks], cardiovascular or all-cause mortality,” they say.

Instead of adopting a low-fat diet, people seeking to cut their risk of heart problems should instead follow “an energy-unrestricted Mediterranean diet (41%) fat supplemented with at least four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or a handful of nuts”.

But critics responded by accusing the co-authors of naiveté, ignoring evidence which contradicts their theories and simplifying a hugely complex issue.

Dr Amitava Banrejee, a senior clinical lecturer in clinical data science and honorary consultant cardiologist at UCL, said: “Unfortunately the authors have reported evidence simplistically and selectively. They failed to cite a rigorous Cochrane systematic review which concluded that cutting down dietary saturated fat was associated with a 17% reduction in cardiovascular events, including CHD, on the basis of 15 randomised trials.”

Dr Gavin Sandercock, director of research at Essex University, rejected the trio’s claims about the benefit of “replacing refined carbohydrates with healthy high fat foods” as not true and not based on any existing evidence. “We must continue to research the complex links between fat, cholesterol and heart disease but we must not replace one myth with another”, Sandercock said.

Christine Williams, professor of human nutrition at Reading University, said the cardiologists’ dietary advice was impractical, especially for poorer people. “The nature of their public health advice appears to be one of ‘let them eat nuts and olive oil’ with no consideration of how this might be successfully achieved in the UK general population and in people of different ages, socioeconomic backgrounds or dietary preferences,” she said.

However, some experts did back the authors. Dr Mary Hannon-Fletcher, head of the school of health sciences at Ulster University, hailed their views as “the best dietary and exercise advice I have read in recent years. Walking 22 minutes a day and eating real food. This is an excellent public health message.

“The modern idea of a healthy diet where we eat low-fat and low-calorie foods is simply not a healthy option. All of these foods have been so altered they are anything but healthy. So eating real foods in moderation and exercising daily is the answer to keeping fit and healthy; it’s just too simple a message for the public to take on board,” she said.

Gaynor Bussell, a dietitician and member of the British Dietetic Association, also offered the authors qualified support. “Many of us now feel that a predominantly Med-style diet can be healthy with slightly more fats and fewer carbs, provided the fats are ‘good’ – such as in olive oil, nuts or avocados,” she said.

However, saturated fats should comprise no more than 11% of anyone’s food intake, she said – far less than the 41% fat level backed by the co-authors.

While carbohydrates should still be part of every meal, people should routinely consume high fibre or wholegrain versions, Bussell said.

Williams also accused the BJSM of publishing opinions seeking to portray saturated fats as “innocent” in the causation of heart disease in order to generate headlines. “Some would argue the journals have a very credible business model based on attracting controversy in an area of great importance to public health where clarity, not confusion, is required,” she said.

Backlash after report claims saturated fats do not increase heart risk

6 Healthy Fats That Belong in a Healthy Diet

In this article, I will show you 6 healthy fats that belong in a healthy diet.

The demonization of dietary fat is still present in the nutrition world, but it is slowly beginning to ease. People are recognizing that foods high in fat can be good for you.

One of the very biggest nutrition pitfalls people make is fearing healthy fat.

Avoiding fat causes a variety of problems, which isn’t surprising: fat is essential to our health.

So, let’s get started and look at some healthy fats to include in our diet.

1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The health properties of extra virgin olive oil need no introduction.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or EVOO as commonly known, has been lauded for its ‘heart healthy’ properties.

The predominant fat in olive oil is called Oleic Acid, a monounsaturated fat. Highly resistant to oxidation, Oleic Acid helps protect the body against oxidative stress and free radical damage.

Olive oil is also jam-packed with various antioxidants and polyphenols that help guard our body against damage.

How can you use Olive Oil?

Try making a salad using leafy greens, your favorite vegetables, smoked salmon, balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil.

It’s good for you – and it tastes great too.

2. Lard

Maybe you are wondering if you read that right. Did it really say lard?

Actually – yes. Lard from pasture-raised animals is one of the healthiest fats you can use.

A little fact: you know how the predominant fat in olive oil – Oleic Acid – is “heart healthy”?

Well, Oleic Acid is the principal fat in lard too.

It makes you wonder; why do people call olive oil “heart healthy” but call lard “artery-clogging”?

In truth, they are both natural sources of fat and promotive of good health, and it’s the manufactured fats made in a factory that you ought to avoid.

How can you use lard?

I recommend putting some lard in a cast iron pan and then sauteing some vegetables in it.

There are two great reasons why:

1. Vegetables cooked in fat taste delicious.


2. Eating vegetables with a source of fat helps your body digest the fat-soluble vitamins in the produce.

Win-win.

3 . Avocado

I heard a story that avocados first came into the English language when they were discovered by an Englishman exploring the Americas. The word wasn’t avocado, though – it was ‘crocodile pear’.

Quite cute.

And although they may look hard and tough on the exterior, avocados are soft and delicious on the inside.

As more and more people realize how important dietary fat is to our health, they are fast gaining in popularity too.

Packed full of fiber, healthy fats and an impressive array of vitamins and minerals, there are several reasons to eat one every day.

 How can you use avocados?

Eaten straight with a little salt tastes great, or you could make guacamole and serve it as a side-dish with your dinner.

Both options have the same health properties and the same great avocado taste.

4 . Macadamia Nuts

The king of nuts – once you try macadamia, it’s hard to go back to anything else. A crunchy but smooth, soft taste on the inside – it’s hard to describe but, trust me, macadamias taste delicious.

They’re high in taste and high in nutrients too.

Macadamia nuts are extremely high in calories and fat. On a per 100g basis, they contain approximately 720 calories and 76g fat.

But don’t fear – it’s healthy fat.

In fact, there is a range of studies that support macadamia nuts as reducing cardiovascular risk factors.

How can you use macadamia nuts?

Just eat a handful as part of a meal, or after the meal.

Or if you want to be a little more creative, you could melt a bar of dark chocolate (another healthy fat!) and then coat the macadamias in the melted chocolate. Following this, put the chocolate-coated macadamias in the fridge for the chocolate to cool.

5. Whole Milk

The low-fat craze brought us skim milk – something that I bought into in my younger days, unfortunately.

The problem with skim milk is that it tastes like weak-milk-flavored water, and the truth is: it’s not even good for our health.

Whole milk is and always was a much better nutritional choice. The evidence is piling up in support of this by the day, and one recent study found that people who drink whole milk have a lower rate of diabetes than those drinking skim milk.

This shouldn’t be surprising: skim milk, processed to remove all the fat, has nothing left but lactose sugar.

Whole milk, on the other hand, contains all its healthy dairy fat, and this also means that you absorb more fat-soluble vitamins that are in the milk.

How can you use whole milk?

There are so many ways you can use whole milk. Here are a few ideas if you are short on inspiration:

1. Just a straightforward cold glass of milk.


2. Make an ice coffee/tea latte.


3. Heat some milk, mix some cacao powder in and add your natural sweetener of choice. Healthy hot chocolate.

6. Dark Chocolate

The words “sweet” and “chocolate” often go together – at least, if you’re talking about milk chocolate.

Dark chocolate, however, is a whole other ball game. Presuming you have a quality bar, the taste should be slightly bitter with a hint of sweetness and fruity flavors.

Checking the label is always necessary for dark chocolate too. A bar that has 85% cacao content will have minimal amounts of sugar, perhaps 3 or 4 grams per ounce.

Some brands class their 40% cacao bar as ‘dark’ – these are not genuine dark chocolate as the predominant ingredient is sugar. 

There are many reasons to include dark chocolate in your diet. It contains a plethora of heart-protective antioxidants, leads to reduced insulin resistance, and has several other significant health benefits.

How can you use dark chocolate?

Next time you watch a movie, how about making a healthy platter of finger foods?

This can be a simple and enjoyable meal that requires minimal time investment – and it’s much better than munching on potato chips and beer like most people do!

Some ideas of food you could include:

• Dark chocolate


• Pieces of cheese


• Sliced avocado


• Olives


• Cherry tomatoes


• Prosciutto or salami

And you may have noticed that, except for the cherry tomatoes, those foods are all high in healthy fat!

Which one of the six healthy fats is your favorite?

6 Healthy Fats That Belong in a Healthy Diet

Is Saturated Fat Bad for You? The Reality About Saturated Fats

Is Saturated Fat Bad for You? The Reality About Saturated Fats

Scientists: keep away from fats, not carbs, if you want to get rid of excess weight

Writing in the Cell Metabolism journal, scientists said that cutting excess fat resulted in far more entire body fat loss than cutting carbohydrates when measured by metabolic stability.

Nineteen adults with obesity were put on the two a diet program that avoided carbohydrates and a diet program that avoided fats for six days each. The researchers located that the two diets led to entire body excess fat reduction, although men and women lost more on the diet program that diminished fat consumption.

Lower out fatty meals to lose fat  Photo: Alamy

Following six days on each diet, the final results showed that these on the diet regime that lowered carbohydrates had lost an common of 245g of physique excess fat, while these on the reduced fat consumption diet program had misplaced 463g.

Lead researcher Dr Kevin Hall, from the US Nationwide Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Ailment, stated there was no metabolic explanation for individuals to opt for a lower-carb diet plan: “With carb reduction you do get rid of entire body fat, but not as significantly as when you reduce out the unwanted fat.”

However, Dr Hall concluded that people should nonetheless attempt to stick to the diet regime they come to feel most comfortable with, as some people could get rid of a lot more bodyweight by lowering their carbohydrate intake. He told BBC Information: “If it is simpler to stick to 1 diet regime than one more, and to ideally do it permanently, then you ought to decide on that diet.

“But if a low-body fat diet regime is far better for you, then you are not going to be at a metabolic disadvantage.”

Professor Susan Jebb, from the University of Oxford, extra: “The investigators rightly conclude that the very best diet program for fat loss is the diet program you can stick to.

“All diets ‘work’ if you stick to an eating prepare that cuts calories, whether from excess fat or carbohydrate, but sticking to a diet regime is easier explained than done, specially provided the prolonged time it will take to shed fat.”

Scientists: keep away from fats, not carbs, if you want to get rid of excess weight

Scientists: steer clear of fats, not carbs, if you want to shed bodyweight

Creating in the Cell Metabolism journal, scientists mentioned that cutting body fat resulted in a lot more entire body excess fat loss than cutting carbohydrates when measured by metabolic stability.

Nineteen adults with obesity have been put on the two a diet that prevented carbohydrates and a diet program that prevented fats for 6 days each. The researchers identified that both diet plans led to body unwanted fat loss, even though folks misplaced a lot more on the diet that reduced body fat intake.

Minimize out fatty foods to get rid of weight  Photograph: Alamy

Soon after six days on every single diet plan, the benefits showed that people on the diet regime that lowered carbohydrates had misplaced an average of 245g of body unwanted fat, even though people on the decreased fat intake diet program had lost 463g.

Lead researcher Dr Kevin Hall, from the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Condition, stated there was no metabolic cause for men and women to opt for a minimal-carb diet: “With carb reduction you do shed entire body body fat, but not as much as when you lower out the excess fat.”

Even so, Dr Hall concluded that folks ought to nevertheless try to stick to the diet program they really feel most relaxed with, as some individuals may possibly drop much more bodyweight by decreasing their carbohydrate consumption. He informed BBC News: “If it is less complicated to stick to one diet program than an additional, and to ideally do it completely, then you should decide on that diet program.

“But if a low-unwanted fat diet is better for you, then you are not going to be at a metabolic disadvantage.”

Professor Susan Jebb, from the University of Oxford, additional: “The investigators rightly conclude that the very best diet regime for weight reduction is the diet regime you can stick to.

“All diets ‘work’ if you stick to an eating strategy that cuts calories, no matter whether from fat or carbohydrate, but sticking to a diet plan is easier said than carried out, specifically provided the prolonged time it takes to shed bodyweight.”

Scientists: steer clear of fats, not carbs, if you want to shed bodyweight