New research seems to surprise researchers with “revelation” that saturated fats appear to be good for you

Heart…attacked

I’m willing to bet the last time you saw your cardiologist he sent you out of his office towing the party line…telling you to eat less saturated fat and add more vegetable oils to your diet.

No red meat…canola oil…fill your plate with vegetables.

Sound familiar?

I’m also willing to bet it sounded like a death sentence.

And new research is telling us it actually really is!

7 year itch

For years, the American Heart Association has recommended these dietary changes for heart disease patients.

No more steaks for you! Animal fats? No! The end! Instead, you’ll be increasing intake of supposedly healthy fats found in safflower, peanut, and Canola oils.

But wait!

Before you hold your nose and swallow that grain-free, fat-free veggie burger, he…is…WRONG.

Let’s start with a trial of more than 450 middle-aged men who had experienced a heart attack or some other coronary event.

One group drastically reduced consumption of saturated fats. The other group was free to eat whatever they wanted.

Fast forward seven years. The guys who ate whatever they wanted (and let’s be honest…I’m sure there were a few steak-eaters in there) were significantly less likely to die from heart disease or cardiovascular disease compared to the men on the “heart healthy” diet.

Better still, a second analysis based on newly released data from the study showed ZERO benefit in reducing saturated fats. But it did suggest a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.

And the health benefits definitely don’t stop there.

Saturated fats contain antiviral agents. They also help maintain cell membranes.

And several powerhouse vitamins like D, E, K, and A are fat-soluble. So they actually work better with a Ribeye than with broccoli.

Sources:
“Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis” British Medical Journal, Vol. 346, 2/5/13, bmj.com

“Study Raises Questions About Dietary Fats and Heart Disease Guidance” Science Daily, 2/5/13, sciencedaily.com