A review of 21 studies involved 348,000 adults reveals no difference in the risk of heart disease!

The conclusion being reached is that we have to look at the whole diet, and not just fats, in order to determine the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, or any other disease.

Where Did It All Begin?

In the 1950’s, Dr Ancel Keys published a paper comparing saturated fat consumption with heart disease and the scientists and medical world have hardly looked back since. Saturated fats have been widely slated as being the main cause of heart disease.

So, here is a simple question – why is it that heart disease has continued to rocket through the roof when the consumption of saturated has significantly declined?

Medical scientists have now started to take a much closer look at saturated fat and when they reviewed the data from 21 studies involving 348,000 adults spanning research periods of between 5 and 23 years, they found no difference at all in the risk of heart disease between those with the lowest and highest intakes of saturated fats.

And this really does make sense. There are many “tribes” throughout the world that consume huge amounts of fish and animal fats – like in Alaska – and the incidents of heart disease are extremely low.

So what is the cause?

A number of studies have linked the so-called Western diet to greater heart disease risks. It is a diet that has been linked to red meats and saturated fats. However, the western diet is now incredibly high in sugar, refined carbs and trans fats found in margarine, vegetable shortening and hydrogenated vegetable oils. This trend has gone up whilst the trend for eating saturated fat has declined significantly.

The Mediterranean diet has always been linked to health and a lower risk of heart disease, strokes and high cholesterol. It consists of whole fresh foods like fruit and vegetables, fish and whole grains, and unsaturated fats like virgin olive oil. The strict Mediterranean diet is free from processed foods which are loaded with sugars and trans fats.

Whole Foods

Whole foods – foods that has been minimally processed refined and manipulated – appear to work closely together to produce a positive end result. Whole foods are whole grains, fruits and vegetables; unprocessed meat, poultry, and fish; and non-homogenized milk. It appears that the moment you start tampering with these products, you lose the overall nutritional value and change the physiological impact of the foods inside the body. And we are eating less and less whole foods.

Not All Saturated Fats are Created Equal

Just like fats in general, there are many different types of saturated fat. We actually do need some saturated fat in our diet. It plays an important part in our health. The saturated fats that occur naturally in whole foods are not as harmful was we thought:

• They are the preferred fuel for the heart
• They are used as a source of fuel when using energy
• The protect against virus
• They protect against plaque and fungal infections
• They actually lower cholesterol levels
• They prevent cancer
• They provide a building block for cell membranes and a variety of hormones
• They can slow down absorption making you feel fuller sooner
• They are important in the metabolism of key minerals such as A, D, E and K

We therefore need some saturated fat in our diet to maintain good health.

Trans Fats are the Killer!

It is well known that trans fats reduce HDL and raise LDL – precisely the opposite of what you need to maintain health. Trans fats also cause major clogging of arteries, type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems. We simply don’t need them and every day that goes by proves that these are the real killers!

Trans fats are chemically altered vegetable oils – hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated – which turns liquid fat into solid fat. At the moment, there is no requirement to declare the amount of trans fat on food product labels – but rest assured it is there! They are included in margarines, shortenings, fast foods, chips, processed foods and baked goods including biscuits, cakes and pies. It is used to bulk up foods and increase their shelf life.

The World Health Organisation is seeking a global ban on trans fats. They are already banned in Denmark, Switzerland, and Austria and in New York and California in the USA.