Journal of the American College of Cardiology Recommends Olive Oil

A group of doctors and medical researchers have backed olive oil as a heart-healthy food, while raising concerns about fad diets and the use of coconut and palm oils.

By Paul Conley
Feb. 28, 2017 11:41 UTC
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A new analyĀ­sis of nutriĀ­tion studĀ­ies voices supĀ­port for olive oil as a heart-healthy subĀ­stiĀ­tute for butĀ­ter, while urgĀ­ing conĀ­sumers to avoid coconut and palm oils.

A group of docĀ­tors and researchers in the U.S. set out to examĀ­ine the eviĀ­dence behind a slew of claims, fads, diets and trends related to carĀ­dioĀ­vasĀ­cuĀ­lar health. They pubĀ­lished their findĀ­ings in the latĀ­est issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The eviĀ­dence base for olive oil is the most comĀ­preĀ­henĀ­sive, with clear eviĀ­dence for a beneļ¬t in carĀ­dioĀ­vasĀ­cuĀ­lar risk reducĀ­tion.- Journal of the American College of Cardiology

Chief among the findĀ­ings is that oils such as olive and canola are healthĀ­ier than hard fats like butĀ­ter and marĀ­garine. Extra virĀ­gin olive oil is sinĀ­gled out in the analyĀ­sis as being the smartest heart-healthy choice, given the eviĀ­dence accuĀ­muĀ­lated in a large numĀ­ber of studĀ­ies conĀ­ducted on the food.

ā€œThe eviĀ­dence base for olive oil is the most comĀ­preĀ­henĀ­sive, with clear eviĀ­dence for a beneļ¬t in carĀ­dioĀ­vasĀ­cuĀ­lar risk reducĀ­tion,ā€ the sciĀ­enĀ­tists said.

At the same time, the researchers sugĀ­gest that weight-conĀ­scious conĀ­sumers might want to use olive oil only in modĀ­erĀ­aĀ­tion, given that it is high in caloĀ­ries.

Coconut and palm oils, by conĀ­trast, come in for speĀ­cial conĀ­cern. The analyĀ­sis says the purĀ­ported heart-health benĀ­eĀ­fits of such oils are unsubĀ­stanĀ­tiĀ­ated and recĀ­omĀ­mends that conĀ­sumers avoid using them.

ā€œThere is a great amount of misĀ­inĀ­forĀ­maĀ­tion about nutriĀ­tion fads,ā€ Andrew Freeman, direcĀ­tor of carĀ­dioĀ­vasĀ­cuĀ­lar preĀ­venĀ­tion and wellĀ­ness in the diviĀ­sion of carĀ­diĀ­olĀ­ogy at National Jewish Health in Denver and the paperā€™s lead author, said in a press release. ā€‹ā€œHowever, there are a numĀ­ber of dietary patĀ­terns that have clearly been demonĀ­strated to reduce the risk of many chronic disĀ­eases, includĀ­ing coroĀ­nary heart disĀ­ease.ā€

The analyĀ­sis supĀ­ports eatĀ­ing a largely plant-based diet, notĀ­ing that eviĀ­dence sugĀ­gests the conĀ­sumpĀ­tion of fruits and leafy green vegĀ­etaĀ­bles proĀ­mote heart health. But researchers warned that patients who use blood thinĀ­ners should seek a medĀ­ical conĀ­sulĀ­taĀ­tion to deterĀ­mine what amount of leafy vegĀ­etaĀ­bles are best for them. (The high levĀ­els of Vitamin K in such vegĀ­etaĀ­bles can affect blood clotĀ­ting.)

The sciĀ­enĀ­tists note that a numĀ­ber of health fads such as juicĀ­ing, gluten-free food and herbal medĀ­icaĀ­tions have not been shown to offer carĀ­dioĀ­vasĀ­cuĀ­lar benĀ­eĀ­fits.

ā€œA genĀ­erĀ­ous amount of vegĀ­gies and fruits, a modĀ­erĀ­ate amount of whole grains and nuts, supĀ­pleĀ­mented with your favorite proĀ­tein sources of legumes, fish, poulĀ­try and lean meats, is a heart-smart, healthy eatĀ­ing plan,ā€ Michael Miller, a proĀ­fesĀ­sor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and a co-author of the review, said in an interĀ­view with the Washington Post.

The 52,000-member American College of Cardiology says that The Journal of the American College of Cardiology is the most widely read carĀ­dioĀ­vasĀ­cuĀ­lar jourĀ­nal in the world.



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