By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES
The use of omega-6 fatty acids have long been held as a safe alternative to saturated fats in the diet.
And this information was based on a study performed in the 1950s on men, between the ages of 30 and 59, who had already had a heart attack or diagnosed with heart disease.
One of the main outcomes of this study, besides increasing your intake of omega-6 fatty acids, was recommendations for lowering dietary saturated fat levels for improving heart health.
Until now…
As you may already know, saturated fat is NOT as evil as many people have thought.
In fact, saturated fats are an integral nutrient in cell development, cell membrane structure, and hormone productions.
Now, however, a team of researchers re-opened this study and its data, and found some surprising findings…
Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Heart Health
When this study originally was designed, they replaced the use of dietary saturated fats with omega-6 fatty acids in the form of linoleic acid.
The reason: Back then, all polyunsaturated fats – such as omega-6 fatty acids – were thought to enhance and promote better heart health benefits.
Now more information is available, and you know that omega-6 fatty acids may potentially be harmful to health – especially heart health.
For example, omega-6 fatty acids have been linked to increased inflammation levels, increased risk for heart disease, and other harmful conditions in the body.
And unfortunately, most Western-type diets have a higher ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to heart beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.
Which could explain the higher rates of heart disease, inflammation, and other chronic diseases tied to the Western diet.
Researchers re-evaluated the previous findings and discovered some unusual mistakes.
Here’s what they found:
The first surprising result they found was people in the intervention group (more omega-6 and less saturated fat) had HIGHER RATES OF DEATH THAN THE CONTROL GROUPS.
Here are some other interesting statistics from the intervention group:
• Died from all causes: 17.6 percent compared to 11.8 percent
• Died from cardiovascular disease: 17.2 percent compared to 11.0 percent
• Died from coronary heart disease: 16.3 percent compared to 10.1 percent
They also showed that substituting linoleic acid showed trends towards higher death rates from heart disease and cardiovascular disease.
They concluded:
“In this cohort, substituting dietary linoleic acid in place of saturated fats increased the rates of death from all causes, coronary heart disease, and cardiovascular disease. An updated meta-analysis of linoleic acid intervention trials showed no evidence of cardiovascular benefit. These findings could have important implications for worldwide dietary advice to substitute omega-6 linoleic acid, or polyunsaturated fats in general, for saturated fats.”
Not All Fats are Created Equal
Back in the 1950s, the thought process for improving health was to cut down on saturated fats and include any type of polyunsaturated fat.
The reason: They believed that all polyunsaturated fats were created equal.
Fast forward to today – and countless studies later – and you know that this information may be both inaccurate and wrong.
Now, it is known that saturated fats may not be that bad for heart health and omega-6 fats may be bad for your health – especially your heart health.
And the reason for this may be very simple: omega-6 fatty acids, unlike omega-3 fatty acids, have been linked to increased inflammation and higher death rates.
So if you’re looking for a way to reduce your heart disease risk – and overall health – reducing your intake of omega-6 fatty acids – or altering your omega ratio – may be important for improving both overall health and heart health.
And if you’re looking for the best way to improve your omega ratio, then you need to click the link below:
NEXT: The #1 BEST Fat?
The use of omega-6 fatty acids have long been held as a safe alternative to saturated fats in the diet.
And this information was based on a study performed in the 1950s on men, between the ages of 30 and 59, who had already had a heart attack or diagnosed with heart disease.
One of the main outcomes of this study, besides increasing your intake of omega-6 fatty acids, was recommendations for lowering dietary saturated fat levels for improving heart health.
Until now…
As you may already know, saturated fat is NOT as evil as many people have thought.
In fact, saturated fats are an integral nutrient in cell development, cell membrane structure, and hormone productions.
Now, however, a team of researchers re-opened this study and its data, and found some surprising findings…
Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Heart Health
When this study originally was designed, they replaced the use of dietary saturated fats with omega-6 fatty acids in the form of linoleic acid.
The reason: Back then, all polyunsaturated fats – such as omega-6 fatty acids – were thought to enhance and promote better heart health benefits.
Now more information is available, and you know that omega-6 fatty acids may potentially be harmful to health – especially heart health.
For example, omega-6 fatty acids have been linked to increased inflammation levels, increased risk for heart disease, and other harmful conditions in the body.
And unfortunately, most Western-type diets have a higher ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to heart beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.
Which could explain the higher rates of heart disease, inflammation, and other chronic diseases tied to the Western diet.
Researchers re-evaluated the previous findings and discovered some unusual mistakes.
Here’s what they found:
The first surprising result they found was people in the intervention group (more omega-6 and less saturated fat) had HIGHER RATES OF DEATH THAN THE CONTROL GROUPS.
Here are some other interesting statistics from the intervention group:
• Died from all causes: 17.6 percent compared to 11.8 percent
• Died from cardiovascular disease: 17.2 percent compared to 11.0 percent
• Died from coronary heart disease: 16.3 percent compared to 10.1 percent
They also showed that substituting linoleic acid showed trends towards higher death rates from heart disease and cardiovascular disease.
They concluded:
“In this cohort, substituting dietary linoleic acid in place of saturated fats increased the rates of death from all causes, coronary heart disease, and cardiovascular disease. An updated meta-analysis of linoleic acid intervention trials showed no evidence of cardiovascular benefit. These findings could have important implications for worldwide dietary advice to substitute omega-6 linoleic acid, or polyunsaturated fats in general, for saturated fats.”
Not All Fats are Created Equal
Back in the 1950s, the thought process for improving health was to cut down on saturated fats and include any type of polyunsaturated fat.
The reason: They believed that all polyunsaturated fats were created equal.
Fast forward to today – and countless studies later – and you know that this information may be both inaccurate and wrong.
Now, it is known that saturated fats may not be that bad for heart health and omega-6 fats may be bad for your health – especially your heart health.
And the reason for this may be very simple: omega-6 fatty acids, unlike omega-3 fatty acids, have been linked to increased inflammation and higher death rates.
So if you’re looking for a way to reduce your heart disease risk – and overall health – reducing your intake of omega-6 fatty acids – or altering your omega ratio – may be important for improving both overall health and heart health.
And if you’re looking for the best way to improve your omega ratio, then you need to click the link below:
NEXT: The #1 BEST Fat?
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