| One and Done: Study Reveals Even One Meal High in Saturated Fat is Bad for Health |
 |
 |
|||||
|
| Saturated Fat - Saturated Fat 2006 |
| Written by Frank Mangano |
| Thursday, 10 August 2006 01:36 |
|
We know eating foods high in saturated fat on a regular basis is a recipe for disaster. Watching Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me” is evidence enough of that. But 30 days of gorging on McDonalds Value Meals is a far cry from the occasional indulgence, right? Think again. According to researchers out of The Heart Institute in Sydney Australia, just one meal high in saturated fat is enough to send your innards for a loop by rendering the functions of HDL (the “good” cholesterol) obsolete. The study was done by giving 14 participants between the ages of 18 and 40 two meals—a slice of carrot cake and a milkshake—and eating each meal one month apart. The first month the meals were made with coconut oil, which contained 89.6 percent saturated fat. The second month they ate the same meal, only this time it was made with safflower oil, which contained 75 percent polyunsaturated fat. Within just three hours after consuming their high saturated fat meal, tests revealed that the saturated fat content restricted blood flow, due to lack of expansion in the blood vessel walls. And after six hours, they found out why: HDL cholesterol abilities—among them acting as a protector against the plaque that builds on artery walls—were significantly reduced, causing the blood vessel walls to inflame. But in the second month of testing, the one where participants consumed the same meal only with high polyunsaturated fat content, the findings were just the opposite. The polyunsaturated fats actually improved HDL anti-inflammatory qualities. Furthermore, their HDL levels were higher and more efficient than the tests taken on their HDL levels prior to the study (tests taken was during a period of fasting). The findings weren’t particularly jaw-dropping to the doctors involved, but it does add to the laundry list of evidence suggesting why saturated fat must be avoided at all costs. “The take-home, public-health message is this: It’s further evidence to support the need to aggressively reduce the amount of saturated fat consumed in the diet,” said lead researcher Dr. Stephen Nicholls in an interview with the Associated Press. It goes without saying, but doctors advise consumers not to interpret the study as one that subscribes to eating carrot cake and milkshakes. However, when it comes to choosing what oils to cook with--safflower oil or coconut oil—safflower oil is the better bet. Its ability to enhance the artery-protecting properties of HDL may serve as a direct link to minimizing heart disease, the leading cause of death in America. Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and are most frequently found in oils and plant-derived foods like nuts, seeds and soybeans. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are most frequently found in select oils (e.g. coconut, palm) dairy (e.g. milk, cheese, butter) and animal products (e.g. lard, pork, beef). The complete study appears in the Aug. 15 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Here’s a special F-R-E-E 38 page report titled, “The Best Natural Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure, Reduce Your Waistline and Take Back Your Health:”
|
Enjoy this article? We guarantee your privacy. Your email address will NEVER be rented, traded or sold. |
Visit my new site: Self Help On The Web
 |
 |
