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
DOI 10.1161/01.atv.18.3.441
More from this paper
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →