Two Good Fats

Some fats can indeed be good for you.  Published data suggests that a high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which can promote healthy cholesterol levels, may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality.  Ulf Riserus, from Uppsala University (Sweden), and colleagues studied 2193 Swedish 60-year-old women and 2039 Swedish 60-year-old men, who did I have cardiovascular disease and study’s start. Subsequent cardiovascular disease-related events and deaths among the subjects were recorded.  Data analysis revealed that those subjects with the highest blood levels of PUFAs were significantly less likely to die from heart disease or any cause over about 15 years than those with the lowest levels.   For both men and women, two fatty acids found in fish – eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docohexaenoic acid (DHA) – associated with roughly 20% lower odds of death.  As well, alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) appeared to yield a 27% reduction in the likelihood of death during the study among the men, but not the women. The study authors write that: “Serum [linoleic acid]  and very long-chain [omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids] partly reflecting vegetable oil and fish intake, respectively, were inversely associated with all-cause mortality.”