For decades, public health officials have been urging people to use polyunsaturated vegetable oils instead of saturated fat. That is because the vegetable oils lower blood cholesterol levels. In Canada, food makers are allowed to put a heart disease risk reduction claim on the label of products that contain vegetable oils such as corn or safflower oil.
Canadian researchers are now beginning to question this advice. After reviewing the scientific evidence, the authors concluded that vegetable oils high in omega-6 linoleic acid and low in omega-3 fats may actually increase cardiovascular risk.
This analysis echoes the essay published recently in BMJ (online, Oct. 22, 2013) claiming, “Saturated fat is not the major issue.” (What is? Highly processed foods, especially those with a high glycemic index.) You can learn more about how foods affect dietary cholesterol and cardiovascular risk through our hour-long radio interview with Drs. Sinatra and Bowden, authors of The Great Cholesterol Myth.
