Macro partitioning
Maintaining linoleic acid (LA) intake at 5-8% of energy is critical for cardiovascular health because it sets a threshold that mitigates the cholesterol-raising effects of saturated fats and cholesterol.
Aim to get 5-8% of your daily calories from linoleic acid (found in vegetable oils like soybean, corn, and sunflower oil). This amount acts as a buffer, preventing saturated fats and dietary cholesterol from raising your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels. Simply reducing total fat without ensuring adequate LA intake may not protect your heart.
If LA intake falls below the 'threshold' requirement... the hyperlipemic effects of other dietary stressors, including SFA, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol, will be greatly exaggerated.
Why this rating
Supported by multiple animal studies, meta-analyses, and epidemiological data, though the paper notes confounding in some human trials.
Source
DIETARY n-6 AND n-3 FATTY ACID BALANCE AND CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
Vasuki Wijendran et al. · Annual Review of Nutrition · 2004
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