High fat diets not as dangerous as high carbohydrate plans, claim scientists

Ohio State University find that levels of fat in the blood did not increase with a high fat diet, but did with a high carbohdrate intake.

Saturated fat has long been demonised by doctors and nutritionists who claim that it increases the risk of heart problems.

But decades of official advice may need to be altered, after new research suggested that it may be safe to eat up to three times the maximum amount currently recommended by the NHS.

It means that far from being foods to avoid, butter, cheese, meat and cream, could all form part of a healthy lifestyle.

NHS advice is unequivocal on saturated fat, with guidance stating that it raises the level of cholesterol in the blood and increases the risk of heart disease.

However when researchers at Ohio State University asked volunteers to try out different diets they were surprised to find that raising the intake of saturated fat did not increase fat in the blood. It seems that the body burns up saturated fat quickly as energy.

In contrast, when the level of carbohydrate was raised, dangerous fatty acids did increase in the bloodstream. These have been linked to Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Senior author Jeff Volek, professor of human sciences at Ohio State University said the findings ‘challenge the conventional wisdom that has demonised saturated fat.’

More on this latest story here.

The article was taken from the full Plos study here.

Eddie