A new study from the University of Bergen in Norway suggests that a diet high in saturated fat, including foods like butter and cheese, may not increase the risk of heart disease as previously believed. The research, led by Dr Simon Dankel, found that consuming more naturally high-fat foods while limiting carbohydrates did not lead to a rise in harmful cholesterol levels.
The study involved around 40 obese men, half of whom followed a strict low-fat, high-carb diet, while the other half ate fewer carbohydrates but doubled their intake of saturated fats. The high-fat group derived 24% of their daily energy intake from butter alone, along with cream and coconut oil. Both groups consumed plenty of vegetables and kept their calorie intake below 2100 per day.
By the end of the study, both groups had lost an average of 12kg, mostly body fat, reducing their risk of obesity-related diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Dr Dankel noted that the human body 'can do perfectly well with fats as its main energy source' and that the research questions 'the alleged strong adverse effect of saturated fats on health'.
The findings may help explain the 'French paradox', where low rates of heart disease occur alongside diets rich in saturated fats. Dr Dankel also pointed out that reduced-fat foods often have added sugar to replace fats, which may have contributed to rising obesity rates. However, a separate Harvard study published in the British Medical Journal found that swapping just 1% of daily calories from saturated fats to healthier alternatives could cut heart disease risk by up to 8%.
