Fat (specifically saturated fat) has long been the evil step sister of the dietary world. Thankfully we have people like Jeff Volek (author of the TNT Diet) to help dispel many of these common myths.
Lets take a gander at some not so well known facts concerning saturated fat:
1. Replacing carbohydrates with saturated fats-or any type of fat-results in decreased triglycerides levels, an independent risk factor for heart disease
2. Replacing carbohydrates with saturated fat-or again, any type of fat-results in increased HDL (good) cholesterol levels. In fact, saturated fat raises HDL even more than unsaturated fat.
3. Saturated fat increases the size of LDL (bad cholesterol) particles, which are less atherogenic.
4. Not all saturated fats raise cholesterol. For instance, stearic acid, a type of saturated fatty acid found in meats-has a neutral effect on LDL cholesterol.
And speaking of all of those delicious furry animals you can eat, lets take a closer look at the fatty acid content of steak and how it impacts your heart health.
Fatty Acid Content of Sirloin Steak
Monounsaturated Fat: 49%
Oleic Acid: 45% (+)
Palmitic Acid (+)
Saturated Fat: 47%
Palmitic Acid: 27% (+)
Stearic Acid: 16% (0)
Myristic Acid: 3% (-)
Lauric Acid: 1% (+)
Polyunsaturated Fat: 4%
Linoleic Acid: 4% (+)
Key:
+ = Positive effect on cholesterol
– = negative effect on cholesterol
0 = no effect on cholesterol
As you can see, steak isn’t quite the artery clogger everyone claims it is. Matter of fact, Volek goes so far as to say that including more saturated fat (while reducing processed carbohydrates/sugar) into your diet will help REDUCE your risk of heart disease. How you like dem apples?
