Butter may not be bad for you – new study challenges widely held claim

Jeremy Vine guest discusses whether butter is bad for you

Diets rich in butter, fatty cuts of meat and hard cheeses have often been maligned due to their saturated fat content. A new study flies in the face of this sacred cow, suggesting that our understanding of saturated fat is fundamentally flawed. Despite the long-held belief that saturated fats block the arteries, the study reveals cholesterol is actually vital for keeping cells healthy.

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The researchers contest that when people eliminate unsaturated fats from their diet, they need to eat more products high in polyunsaturated fats to reap the same benefits that come from having a smaller amount of saturated fats.

These substitutes include sunflower oil, walnuts, and fish.

The Norwegian team discovered some saturated fats are naturally present in a wide variety of foods, including breast milk.

The scientists claim that people with high cholesterol who suffer cardiovascular disease may actually have low-grade inflammation and insulin resistance.

They also call into question the benefit of lowering blood cholesterol by adding polyunsaturated fatty acids to the diet and not addressing the root causes.

“There is at best weak evidence that a high intake of saturated fat causes heart disease,” study Simon Dankel, co-author and researcher at the Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Norway.

“The overall data are inconsistent and unconvincing, not to mention the lack of a logical biological and evolutionary explanation.”

Dankle added: Also, people with metabolic disorders often do not show the expected changes in blood cholesterol when changing their fat intake, suggesting loss of the normal response.”

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