"A typical diet is made up of different types of fat. While you need to make sure you eat foods that contain healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in your blood, which can increase your risk of developing coronary heart disease."
I just read this the BHF website. Can you forward results of any scientific studies to prove that saturated fat elevates cholesterol in the blood? I am getting conflicting reports on this. I understood that this is has been disproved and even America quietly withdrew that from its dietary guidelines years ago? I also understand recent evidence (and some not so recent) has come to light that refined seed oils, eg sunflower and vegetable oils are easily oxidised and inflammatory so best avoided. Lives depend on good information and I'm not sure we are getting it.
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Magicmeg
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I don't know the answer, but I strongly suspect it is "no". I stuck with butter, lard and dripping (in moderation) when we were all told to avoid saturated fats, and a recent angiogram showed my coronary arteries were clear (I'm nearly 70). I avoid transfats, too much sugar and refined carbohydrates. I am no expert though. Others may have better information.
I am no scientist so can't answer the question, but what is clear is that genetics are the biggest risk factor. In our sample size of 2, I generally ate much cleaner than my wife with regard to saturated fat, but her cholesterol is well within healthy range, while mine was high. There are lots of other good reasons to eat a Mediterranean type diet, too. But again, unless you're eating sausage 3x a day, I don't think a balanced diet that includes some saturated fat will be a problem.
For years I used non palm oil almond butter and no butter or margarine on my bread but just jam or honey. I now use Benacol because I cannot tolerate Statins but whether I need it or not is debatable . I’m not happy using it - especially as my cholesterol levels were always good anyway. I hope one day they will get this cholesterol debate made positive in that we know it’s definite that cigarettes cause cancer and yet what we eat causes heart disease or not is debatable .
David Diamond explains how the saturated fat - cholesterol - coronary disease myth arose (or just search youtube for David Diamond if the video fails to operate) youtube.com/watch?v=yX1vBA9...
I had a diet heavy in butter, cream and loads of cheese. No problems until my age 55 NHS health check identified high cholesterol. Took advice and stopped eating butter, cheese and cream and a year later cholesterol much reduced. Unfortunately didn't realise I had already had several undiagnosed heart attacks until I suffered a CA at age 57 ie the damage was already done. I choose to believe that whilst I may have a genetic heightened risk I did the damage with my diet. Having spoken with various cardiologists and dieticians who see a stream of HA victims they have all been of the opinion that saturated fats raise bad cholesterol levels leading to blocked arteries and that this along with smoking, obesity and lack of exercise are all key factors. Personally I am happy to place reliance on the doctors and medics who see the patients day in and day out.
"Does eating saturated fat increase cholesterol REALLY AND TRUTHFULLY?"
I suspect the answer is different for different people. After my bypass operation I had a private DNA test to better understand my personal risk factors. Depending upon your genetic profile it seems different people metabolise fats very differently, so some will be at high risk, where as some will be at low risk.
I think that's largely why this is such a contentious and complex subject, basically there's no simple answer regarding the respective health impact of high/low fat diets. What's true for one person may very well not be true for another.
I do think genetics pay a huge part in high cholesterol readings. My father had chronic heart disease & angina & sadly past away at 63. This was back in the days of no testing & coronary heart bypasses had only just started. Of course I’ve had cholesterol testings over the years & mine is always on the high side, even with medication, diet & exercise. My mother who was extremely overweight had normal cholesterol & lived until she was 83. Some people just manufacture it! At least we are tested these days & can act accordingly.
I think the key point here, as I noted above, is genetics and testing. If you have no history of heart disease and your cholesterol levels are good, then by all means eat whatever you want. But in my (exceptionally painful!!) experience, if you have a history of heart/artery disease and your cholesterol is on the high side, then yeah, I would (and have) changed diets. If genetics aren't on your side then you need to minimize any risk factors you can.
There are a million reasons to "eat" a certain way, of course.
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