Sorry butter fans, vegetable oils really are better for your heart, Swedish researchers confirm

According to European experts, it is better for your heart to avoid animal fats such as butter and instead opt for vegetable oils, such as those from olives and nuts.

People are advised to reduce the amount of saturated fats, such as butter, and switch instead to unsaturated vegetable fats, such as those used for years in the Mediterranean region, to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Eating too many saturated fats raises the level of bad cholesterol in the blood. This leads to the build-up of fatty deposits that can narrow the blood vessels, increasing the risk of stroke.

Excessive use can also lead to weight gain, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Swedish and German researchers have now shown that people who eat more vegetable oils reduce their risk of heart attacks and strokes by a third and their risk of developing diabetes by a quarter.

For years, people have been urged to cut back on saturated fats, such as butter, and switch instead to unsaturated vegetable fats, such as olive oil, which is used in the Mediterranean region, to reduce their risk of heart disease.

In addition, switching from a diet high in saturated fats to one with unsaturated alternatives could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 42 percent.

They said their findings reinforce global recommendations to reduce saturated fats, which they say are undermined by the limitations of existing research.

Part of their research involved examining the blood fat results of 113 Britons who ate a diet rich in saturated animal fats, such as butter or lard, and another diet rich in unsaturated vegetable fats, such as olive oil and nuts, for 16 weeks.

Next, the blood fat scores were assessed using what scientists called a “multi-lipid score” (MLS), which measured the different types of fat in the blood,

Dr. Fabian Eichelmann, a nutritionist at the German Institute of Human Nutrition and one of the authors of the study, explains: ‘A high MLS indicates a healthy blood lipid profile. A high intake of unsaturated vegetable fat and a low intake of saturated animal fat can help to achieve such positive MLS values.’

Researchers then applied the MLS scores to two long-term studies involving thousands of participants. Over several years, the risk of cardiovascular disease (which can cause heart attacks and strokes) and type 2 diabetes was tracked.

Analysis found that people with a higher MLS score, which indicates a diet rich in unsaturated fats, had a 32 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and up to a 26 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

Finally, researchers published their findings in the journal NaturopathyNext, we investigated whether people with low MLS scores might benefit from switching to a diet higher in unsaturated fats, such as the Mediterranean diet.

Results from another study of 7,500 people found that people with low MLS scores who switched to a diet high in unsaturated fats reduced their risk of diabetes by 42 percent.

Experts did not see a similar reduction in risk for cardiovascular disease, but noted that the data they studied were from patients at high risk for the condition. More research is needed on people at lower risk.

Another lead author of the study, Clemens Wittenbecher, an expert in food and nutrition at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, said their research confirms the benefits of vegetable fats.

“Our research confirms with even more certainty the health benefits of a diet rich in unsaturated vegetable fats, such as the Mediterranean diet. It also allows us to provide targeted nutritional advice to people who would benefit most from changing their eating habits,” he said.

The authors noted that their study had a number of limitations. First, there were no independent interventions conducted to validate the observed effects of changing diet.

Second, their findings were based primarily on Europeans and therefore the results may not apply to other groups.

A small amount of fat is considered an essential part of a balanced diet. It helps with the absorption of certain vitamins, while healthier versions also help lower bad cholesterol.

The NHS advises men to eat only 30 grams of saturated fat per day and women only 20 grams.

It is also advised to eat unsaturated fats, but it says that Britons generally already get enough unsaturated fats through their diet and so do not need to eat extra.

An exception to this is oily fish. Britons are advised to eat one portion a week of salmon and mackerel, for example, to get enough omega-3 fatty acids.

While researchers in recent studies have been eager to tout the benefits of “vegetable fats,” it’s important to remember that not all vegetarian fats are unsaturated.

Both palm oil and coconut oil and cream are considered saturated fats.

WHAT DOES A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?

According to the NHS, meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably wholegrain.

• Eat at least 5 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

• Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grain

• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is the same as eating the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole wheat breakfast biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread and a large baked potato with the skin on.

• Eat some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) and choose lower fat and lower sugar options

• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish per week, one of which should be fatty)

• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small quantities

• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water per day

• Adults should consume less than 6 grams of salt and 20 grams of saturated fat for women or 30 grams for men per day

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide