Eliminate Carbohydrates for People with High Cholesterol
For decades, people diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia have been advised to decrease the amount of saturated fat to lower cholesterol and reduce their risks of heart disease. Such recommendations are common but controversial.
A new study shows no evidence to support those claims and correlates carbohydrates as the primary issue. The findings of the study are published in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine.
Familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic disorder that causes people to have 2-4 times high cholesterol levels than an average person. Organizations, including the American Heart Association, have suggested avoiding the consumption of coconut oil as well as food from animal sources, such as meat, eggs, and cheese.
A team of five cardiologists and experts on heart disease and diet reviewed the dietary guidelines for people with familial hypercholesterolemia. They found that there is no justification for health experts to recommend a low saturated fat diet.
According to David Diamond, professor and heart disease researcher at the University of South Florida, “For the past 80 years, people with familial hypercholesterolemia have been told to lower their cholesterol with a low saturated fat diet. Our study showed that a more ‘heart-healthy’ diet is one low in sugar, not saturated fat.”
Diamond and his co-authors say that following a diet in low-carbohydrate is most effective for people with high cholesterol.
