Evidence is mounting that the healthiest diets are built around a variety of minimally processed, whole foods, and can’t be reduced to specific nutrients. To determine saturated fat’s role in heart disease risk, researchers from California reviewed the existing literature about saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, carbohydrates, and heart disease. The scientists found that when saturated fat (found mostly in red meat and milk fat) is replaced with polyunsaturated fat (found mostly in nuts, seeds, and fish), heart disease risk decreases. However, when saturated fat is replaced with sugary refined carbohydrates, heart disease risk remains the same, if not worsens. The researchers also note a small, yet growing body of research that dairy fat (especially in fermented dairy, like yogurt), may be neutral (or even decrease risk) for heart disease. The researchers concluded that “overall dietary patterns emphasizing vegetables, fish, nuts, and whole versus processed grains form the basis of heart-healthy eating, and should supersede a focus on macronutrient composition.”
Annual Review of Nutrition. 2015 July 17;35:517-43. (Siri-Tarino PW et al.) [Epub]