Does Saturated Fat Cause Heart Disease?

We have been fed false information for years that saturated fat causes heart disease despite what the peer-reviewed medical literature has presented.  A 2010 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition evaluated 21 previous studies that examined the effects of saturated fat and heart disease.  This included data follow-ups from 5-23 years on 347,747 subjects and 11,000 cases of heart disease.  No significant association was found between the intake of saturated fat and the risk of heart disease, stroke or cardiovascular disease.

We know that eating saturated fat increases cholesterol levels but for those of you who have been following my newsletters, you know that cholesterol is not the issue.  If we look at Polynesians who live next to the equator we see that saturated fat has little to do with heart disease.  This population consumes a diet that is 47% saturated fat but heart disease is extremely rare.

The problem is much more complex than simply looking at saturated fat in the diet.  Advanced glycation end products and cholesterol oxides are produced when foods high in saturated fat are cooked too much.  These compounds are produced when you see the charring on meat when it is grilled excessively.  Meat should be cooked in a fashion that does not allow this to happen.  Eggs should be poached or hard-boiled as an example.

The other issue is the quality of the animal products that you eat.  Are your eggs free-range, your dairy organic and raw, and is your meat grass-fed and growth hormone-free?  These all play a role in  preventing versus developing heart disease.

I have said before that inflammation is the key factor in heart disease which can be measured by a simple blood test called highly sensitive C-reactive protein.  This is an excellent indicator of your risk for heart disease.  As long as you are preparing your food correctly, eating the highest quality organic, free-range animal products and your blood tests show low levels of inflammation, you are at little risk for a heart attack or stroke.

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1. Calcium Supplements Cause Heart Attacks