Saturated fats in butter, meats, and cheese may not cause heart disease, despite numerous warnings about them. While a diet rich in butter, fatty meats, and cheese might be a delicious and satisfying option for many, doctors have long cautioned about the potential harm these foods pose to cardiovascular health.
Now, a new study confirms that health experts may have been searching for saturated fats in the wrong way. A team from the University of Bergen in Norway states that foods rich in saturated fats may, in fact, not lead to heart disease as previously thought. Although it was believed that saturated fats block arteries, the study revealed that cholesterol is actually essential for maintaining healthy body cells. Researchers claimed that when people eliminate these foods from their diets, they need to consume more products rich in polyunsaturated fats to obtain the same benefits that come from having lower amounts of saturated fats, which include sunflower oil, walnuts, and fish.
The case against saturated fats has become "unconvincing": The Norwegian research team discovered that some saturated fats naturally occur in a variety of foods, including breast milk. Scientists also noted that individuals with high cholesterol and those suffering from cardiovascular diseases may actually be experiencing low-grade inflammation and insulin resistance. They question the benefit of lowering blood cholesterol by adding polyunsaturated fatty acids to the diet without addressing the underlying causes.
Additionally, study co-author Simon Dankel stated, "At best, there is weak evidence that consuming large amounts of saturated fats causes heart disease, and the overall data is inconsistent and unconvincing, not to mention the lack of a logical biological and evolutionary explanation for it. Often, individuals with metabolic disorders do not show the expected changes in blood cholesterol when altering their fat intake, suggesting a loss of the body's natural response."
The study's lead author, Dr. Marit Zenoc from Bjørknes College in Oslo, added that cholesterol is a crucial molecule for all body cells and is indispensable. How do cells benefit from cholesterol? Dr. Zenoc explains, "The cell is surrounded by a fluid membrane that regulates its functions, and it relies on the ability to integrate a certain amount of cholesterol molecules so that its membranes do not become too rigid or too fluid. The basic model is that when saturated fats replace polyunsaturated fats in the diet, the required cholesterol in cell membranes is less, and vice versa."
Dr. Zenoc further explained that as people consume more polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, these fats enter cellular membranes and make them more flexible. Cells can adjust their membrane fluidity by pulling more cholesterol from the bloodstream, which is what her team believes causes decreased blood cholesterol levels when people consume more polyunsaturated fats.
Additionally, Dankel noted, "Cells need to adjust their membrane fluidity according to changes in their environment, such as access to different types of fats. This phenomenon is called optimal adaptation, and it has already been described and identified in both microorganisms and vertebrates as well as in human skin cells. We believe this is an important principle in human physiology; our cells are usually capable of adjusting their cholesterol content according to changes in the dietary fats we consume."
