A new research suggests that eating margarine, which contains trans-fat, increases the risk of heart disease and even death. Scientists revealed that the trans-fat containing food does not offer any health benefits to the consumers compared food with saturated fat, like butter.
The latter does not cause health risks similar to that of margarine.
McMaster University assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dr Russell de Souza straightened peoples' belief about the two different kind of fats found in different foods.
"Trans-fats have no health benefits and pose a significant risk for heart disease, but the case for saturated fat is less clear," said de Souza.
"That said, we aren't advocating an increase of the allowance for saturated fats in dietary guidelines, as we don't see evidence that higher limits would be specifically beneficial to health," the professor added.
For years, consumers have been advised to cut out animal fats consumption but the result of the study clarified that they do not increase the threat of diabetes, stroke and heart disease.
On the other hand, trans-fats which are found in industrially produced oils and processed food like margarine are the real cause of risk. It increased the rate of death by 34 % in less than a
Saturated fats which are mainly from animal products showed no clear association between cardiovascular disease and coronary disease. This kind of fat can be found in products like butter, meat, egg yolks, cow's milk, chocolate and palm oils.
Experts started advising consumers to stay out of foods that are high in saturated fats during the fifties. But the new research analyzed 50 studies that involve more than one million individuals and found out that there is no evidence to prove that the said fat is bad for health.
However, British health experts will still not recommend diets that are high in saturated fat. According to Prof Tom Sanders of King's College London, it would be foolish to suggest eating a lot of fatty foods just because of the results of the new study.
