Time Magazine dropped one of the headlines heard round the medical field last summer when their cover story proclaimed "Eat Butter." The article went on to say that saturated fat actually wasn't so bad for us. It had followed a lesser publicized but similar feature that the NY Times had run, saying that avoiding saturated fat was no longer necessary:
"That the worm is turning became increasingly evident a couple of weeks ago, when a meta-analysis published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found that there's just no evidence to support the notion that saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease. (In fact, there's some evidence that a lack of saturated fat may be damaging.) The researchers looked at 72 different studies and, as usual, said more work — including more clinical studies — is needed. For sure. But the days of skinless chicken breasts and tubs of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter may finally be drawing to a close."
As a Board Certified internist, I couldn't help but notice that the critiques of this study didn't get nearly as much publicity. The study was criticized by numerous reliable sources, who clearly found the findings not only a bit shaky, but potentially dangerous. I can certainly say that I would never advise a Southern California patient looking to achieve wellness, promote longevity,and prevent diseases to load up on butter, cheese, and red meat.
One only needs to look at data including this study, which found that heart disease can be reversed through modification of a diet to include plant based diets with less than 10% of calories from fat. No studies that I'm aware of have shown that a diet heavy in saturated fat have accomplished the same significant reduction in angina. Ever.
Further proof that a diet heavy in saturated fat isn't conducive to promoting a healthy lifestyle can be seen through the fact that the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology both revised and reduced their recommendations for daily percentage of calories from saturated fats in order to help prevent cardiovascular disease.
Add to those facts, my own experience, as a Board Certified Internist. I have watched countless patients in the Los Angeles and Ventura County areas that we serve, transform their entire lives by modifying their diet to include lots of healthy vegetables, while ingesting minimal fats and oils as part of an overall
integrative wellness plan. Symptoms of diabetes have vanished, cardiovascular disease has stabilized or slowed, patients report better focus, greater energy, and an ability to sleep better, when they reduce their intake of fats, and replace at least some of them with plant based foods.
It is my passion to help you to maintain wellness and prevent disease, no matter your age. So, if you're reading that saturated fats are no longer a threat to your overall wellness, I urge you to take what you're reading with a proverbial grain of salt. It may just keep your heart healthy for years to come.
Dr. Allan Kurtz specializes in creating optimal health and longevity plans for his patients. He is fellowship trained in Integrative Medicine as well as Functional Medicine. He is also a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and The Institute for Functional Medicine. He founded the California Center of Longevity & Functional Medicine in order to help you to maintain, and/or restore your optimal health.
To schedule a consultation and begin planning for integrative wellness & longevity health, contact us today at 818.346.1440
