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.
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.
āThe 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.
āThere 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 paperās lead author, said in a press release. āāHowever, 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.
āA 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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