Thursday, October 24, 2013

Myth busted or "science" busted ?

Times of India published this article yesterday

U-turn-Butter-cheese-eggs-not-bad-for-heart

The article reads -

"Malhotra is an interventional cardiology specialist and registrar at Croydon University Hospital in London says scientific evidence shows that advice to reduce saturated fat intake “has paradoxically increased our cardiovascular risks.”

He says the government’s obsession with levels of total cholesterol “has led to the over-medication of millions of people with statins and has diverted our attention from the more egregious risk factor of atherogenic dyslipidaemia” (an unfavourable ratio of blood fats).

Saturated fat has been demonized since the 1970s when a landmark study concluded that there was a correlation between incidence of coronary heart disease and total cholesterol which was then correlated with the percentage of calories provided by saturated fat, Malhotra said.
   World heart foundation website says "Fat
"Research makes it clear that abnormal blood lipid (fat) levels have a strong correlation with the risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack and coronary death. In turn, abnormal blood lipids are related to what you eat.  A diet high in saturated fats (e.g. cheese) and trans fats (often used in cakes, cookies and fast food) leads to high levels of cholesterol.

Saturated fats are found in animal products.  Trans fats are oils that have been hydrogenated to turn them into semi-hard fats.  Hydrogenated fat is found in processed food like shop-bought cakes, biscuits, stock cubes and a range of other products you buy every day. Saturated and trans fats raise cholesterol levels in the blood, which in turn can lead to atherosclerosis.

Unsaturated fats, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated are beneficial for heart health.  They are present in fish, nuts, seeds and vegetables."


Comment - Then we were sold dieticians, cholesterol tests, fat free oils, oats, cholesterol reducing fibers. We threw out ghee and natural oils from our diet. A lot of us ended up with dried up joints and intestines. Now it is time to start selling us packaged fats. Very scientific !!