We’ve been fighting the wrong enemy.
In the war against America’s biggest killer, heart disease, doctors told us for decades that we needed to cut saturated fat.
This, it turns out, is nonsense spawned by bad science.
One of the worst offenders is the 1969 Los Angeles VA Study.[i]
It looked at 850 elderly veterans who were divided into two groups. One ate a diet rich in saturated fats. The other swapped these out for polyunsaturated vegetable oils, like soybean, cottonseed, and corn oils.
At the end of the study, 70 people in the saturated fat group died. Only 48 in the polyunsaturated group passed away.
If that doesn’t seem like a huge difference…that’s because it isn’t. But here’s the kicker…
The study authors failed to disclose that there were twice as many smokers in the saturated fat group.
Cardiologist Dr. William Davis, author of the best-selling Wheat Belly book series, says the study is worthless. “The total effect [of cutting saturated fats] was nil,” he says. “The apparent heart benefit was illusory, a statistical anomaly and due to mismatched groups with regards to smoking.”[ii]
Then there’s the Oslo Diet-Heart Study.
It divided 412 subjects at high risk for heart disease into two groups. One went on a low-saturated, high-polyunsaturated fat diet. The other group stayed on their normal diet.
After 11 years, the low-saturated fat group had 25 (44%) fewer heart attack deaths.[iii]
But a critical detail never made it into the original study…
The group on the low-saturated fat diet also ate very low amounts of sugar…about half that of the normal-diet group.[iv]
Why does this matter?
It confirms researchers tested more than one variable (fat and sugar intake). That’s a major mistake when it comes to study design. It invalidates the results.
It also means that any heart benefit may be due to lower sugar consumption—not less saturated fat.
Now, the latest research confirms that avoiding meat, eggs, cheese, and other foods high in saturated fat does not lower cholesterol.
A new study published in the British Medical Journal found that people with a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol did not benefit from a diet low in saturated fat.[v]
“Our study showed that a more heart healthy diet is one low in sugar, not saturated fat,” said lead author Professor David Diamond.[vi]
He and his co-authors point out that a low-carb diet cuts heart disease risk for people suffering from a variety of issues. These include diabetes, high blood pressure, and being overweight.
Their findings are consistent with the results of other recent research. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that foods that raise blood sugar, such as sodas, bread, potatoes, and pastries, are the ones to avoid…not saturated fats.[vii]
4 Steps to a Low-Carb Diet
Low-carb eating is simple. Follow these guidelines:[viii]
- Avoid sugar and starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice, beans, and potatoes.
- Eat meat, fish, eggs, non-starchy vegetables, and natural fats like olive oil and butter.
- Fruits that are high in fiber and low in sugar are OK. They include berries, avocados, grapefruit, kiwis, pears, and watermelon. But avoid fruit juices. They are typically high in sugar.[ix]
The most important rule of low-carb eating?
- Avoid sugary foods and drinks that push insulin higher, especially soda.
Choose the right enemy in the war on heart disease. Cut your carb intake to lower your chances of being a victim of America’s leading cause of death.
Editor’s Note: Research shows the standard heart disease treatments—stents and statin drugs—don’t prevent heart attacks. Discover what does. Get the Heart Smart Protocol. It’s a simple, science-backed plan that prevents and treats America’s number-one killer naturally, without drugs or procedures. You’ll find it in our monthly journal, Independent Healing. Subscribe HERE.
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[i]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4902662/
[ii]https://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2017/06/american-heart-association-saturated-fat/
[iii]https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/01.cir.42.5.935
[iv] http://www.cardiobrief.org/2017/06/16/guest-post-vegetable-oils-francis-bacon-bing-crosby-and-the-american-heart-association/?utm_content=buffer7d290&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
[v]https://ebm.bmj.com/content/early/2020/07/05/bmjebm-2020-111412
[vi]https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-07-people-high-cholesterol-carbs-saturated.html
[vii]https://medicalxpress.com/journals/journal-of-the-american-college-of-cardiology/
[viii]https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
[ix]https://www.healthline.com/health/best-low-sugar-fruits#blackberries