Highlights
- •TFA from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils should be eliminated from the human diet.
- •Cardiovascular risk can be modestly reduced by decreasing SFA and replacing it by a combination of PUFA and MUFA.
- •n-3 seafood PUFA may protect against CVD, though the benefits seem to be not as pronounced as previously believed.
- •Animal product intake (unprocessed red meat, egg, dairy) is not necessarily associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
- •Nut and olive oil intake is associated with reduced cardiovascular risk.
Abstract
Dietary fatty acids play significant roles in the cause and prevention of cardiovascular
disease (CVD). Trans fatty acids from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils have well-established
adverse effects and should be eliminated from the human diet. CVD risk can be modestly
reduced by decreasing saturated fatty acids (SFA) and replacing it by a combination
of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). Although
the ideal type of unsaturated fat for this replacement is unclear, the benefits of
PUFA appear strongest. Both n-6 and n-3 PUFA are essential and reduce CVD risk. However,
additional research is needed to better define the optimal amounts of both and to
discern the patients and/or general population that would benefit from supplemental
n-3 fatty acid intake. Furthermore, consumption of animal products, per se, is not
necessarily associated with increased CVD risk, whereas nut and olive oil intake is
associated with reduced CVD risk. In conclusion, the total matrix of a food is more
important than just its fatty acid content in predicting the effect of a food on CVD
risk, and a healthy diet should be the cornerstone of CVD prevention.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 27, 2014
Accepted:
March 16,
2014
Received in revised form:
March 11,
2014
Received:
December 22,
2013
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.