![Cheese and dark chocolate:](https://img.passeportsante.net/1000x526/2014-03-24/i50579-fromage-et-chocolat-noir-de-bons-gras-satures-pour-le-coeur.jpg)
December 3, 2010 – Not all saturated fats are harmful to heart health: it all depends on where they come from. For example, those contained in cheese and dark chocolate would be good for the heart.
This is what Dr Arne Astrup, Head of the Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, at a symposium hosted by Dairy Farmers of Canada.1
“Several studies show that while saturated fats increase bad cholesterol (LDL), they also increase good cholesterol (HDL), unlike unsaturated fats which decrease both LDL and HDL.
Saturated fats from cheese and dark chocolate are said to have cardiovascular health benefits since they interact positively with other nutrients, according to Arne Astrup.
![](https://www.passeportsante.net/fr/Actualites/Nouvelles/DocumentsProteus/images/fromage-chocolat-noir-bons-gras-satures-pour-coeur_20101203-2.jpg)
Arne Astrup
“Dark chocolate also contains polyphenols which, along with saturated fat, reduce cardiovascular disorders, in particular by lowering blood pressure. And by combining dark chocolate with nuts, it’s even better, ”he says.
As for cheese, it increases total cholesterol (good and bad), but it constitutes an important supply of calcium and protein, which contributes to the feeling of satiety, according to him.
“Consumed in moderation, cheese is an excellent food, but you have to be careful: excessive consumption contributes to weight gain which, in turn, increases the cardiovascular risk”, maintains Dr Astrup.
Saturated fat: it all depends on the food they come from
Among the research cited by Dr Astrup, a meta-analysis2 of 11 studies examined the effect on heart risk of a diet in which saturated fat was replaced with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat.
The result: For every 5% of calories from fat, replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat reduced the risk of heart disease by 13%. On the other hand, by replacing saturated fat with monounsaturated fat, the risk increased by 19% for each slice!
“These monounsaturated fats did not come from olive or canola oils but rather from unhealthy foods, which demonstrates the importance of the food and where the saturated fat comes from,” said Dr.r Astrup.
This is why he believes that public health authorities should revise their recommendation that we should limit dietary saturated fat, whether of animal or vegetable origin.
“These recommendations should be based on the overall nutritional assessment of each food rather than taking into account a single nutrient, such as saturated fat,” he concluded.
To learn more about dietary fat, see our Fat: War and Peace feature. |
Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net
1. To find out more about this conference: www.savoirlaitier.ca [consulté le 3 décembre 2010].
2. Jakobsen MU, et al, Major types of dietary fat and risk of coronary heart disease: a pooled analysis of 11 cohort studies, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009 May, 89 (5): 1425-1432.