Health x Wellness
Saturated Fats – Bad?
A three-decade study by Harvard University’s School of Public Health confirms saturated fats are bad for health.
A study that spanned across three decades has discovered that the saturated fats in butter, lard and red meat can increase the risk of early death, but when replaced with alternatives like olive oil, substantial health benefits can be derived.
The research involved more than 120,000 people in two large studies. And for the next 32 years, the participants were being followed, with the researchers documenting the types of fat they ate at the start of the study every two to four years. The results were then published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine.
Among the key findings of the study was the fact that for those who ate more saturated and trans fats, they had a higher mortality rate in comparison to those who consumed the same number of calories from carbohydrates. It was also discovered that replacing butter, lard, and fat in red meat with alternatives such as olive oil, canola oil, and soybean oil (all of which are plant-based) — could offer substantial health benefits.
As indicated in the study, trans fats (with the inclusion of partially hydrogenated oil products like margarine), had the most severe impact on health. With every two percent higher intake of trans fat was the correlation of a 16 percent higher chance of dying early, and with every five percent higher increase in consumption of saturated fats was the link to an eight percent greater risk of dying. However, the researchers also found out that eating large amounts of unsaturated fats as well as polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 and omega-6 found in fish oils, soy, and canola oils) came the benefit of a lower overall mortality of between 11 to 19 percent as compared to the same number of calories from carbohydrates.
One point to note is that, this study is observational and discretion is still needed on the part of the reader; as such when in doubt it is always best to consult a nutritionist for professional advice, and couple the advice given with this article for better understanding of how fats might help or hinder one’s health.
