Is Fat Making a Comeback?

Fat's bad reputation may be undeserved. For years, research suggested that eating saturated fat would increase the risk of heart disease. However, according to a recent extensive review of the scientific evidence, there is no convincing evidence to support this widely promoted claim.

Furthermore, the review found no evidence that substituting refined carbohydrates for saturated fat lowers the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, or other cardiometabolic diseases. This suggests that the long-held belief that carbohydrates are the preferred source of dietary energy may also be unfounded.

The researchers involved in the review point out that the low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet that has dominated global dietary recommendations for the last 50 years has coincided with a steep rise in obesity and associated chronic diseases. They suggest that the true culprit may not be saturated fat but rather the high intake of refined carbohydrates and added sugars.

Therefore, the findings of this review suggest that the long-standing recommendations to avoid dietary fat may be in need of revision, and that a balanced approach that focuses on limiting refined carbohydrates and added sugars while including healthy fats may be a more effective strategy for promoting long-term health and wellness.

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