Macro partitioning
Reducing dietary saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake significantly lowers plasma total and LDL cholesterol levels in healthy adults across diverse demographic subgroups.
To lower your LDL cholesterol, gradually replace saturated fats (found in meats, butter, full-fat dairy) with unsaturated fats and carbohydrates while keeping total calories and dietary cholesterol constant. Aim for a diet where saturated fats make up less than 10% of your total calories. This change is effective for men, women, and people of all races.
In a well-controlled feeding study, stepwise reductions in SFA resulted in parallel reductions in plasma total and LDL cholesterol levels. Diet effects were remarkably similar in several subgroups of men and women and in blacks.
Why this rating
The study is a multicenter, randomized, crossover-design trial with strict dietary control and a large sample size (n=103).
Source
Effects of Reducing Dietary Saturated Fatty Acids on Plasma Lipids and Lipoproteins in Healthy Subjects
Henry N. Ginsberg et al. · Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology · 1998
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