Research
Hormonal
Replacing saturated fatty acids with unsaturated fatty acids (monounsaturated or polyunsaturated) reduces plasma LDL cholesterol, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
To support heart health, swap saturated fats (found in fatty meats, butter) for unsaturated fats (found in olive oil, fish, nuts). This substitution is known to lower bad cholesterol (LDL).
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Replacing saturated fatty acids with either monounsaturated fatty acids or n-6 PUFAs reduces LDL (the 'bad') cholesterol, and so reduces the risk of developing the disease.
Why this rating
Described as 'well-established' by the authors, though precise mechanisms for other benefits are unclear.
Source
The health effects of dietary unsaturated fatty acids
J. Lunn et al. · Nutrition Bulletin · 2006
DOI 10.1111/j.1467-3010.2006.00571.x
narrative_reviewCited 393×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Trans-fatty acids are harmful to health, being as bad or worse for heart health than saturated fatty acids, and should be minimized.Good
- Adequate intake of long-chain n-3 PUFAs (DHA/EPA) during pregnancy and lactation is critical for the normal neurological development and cognitive function of the infant.Good
- Consuming at least two portions of oil-rich fish per week (providing ~0.45g long-chain n-3 PUFAs daily) is recommended to protect against fatal heart disease.Moderate
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