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Tufts Researchers Report Oil, Soft Margarines Better Than Butter Boston, Mass – In the first major clinical study on the effects of commercially available fats on cholesterol levels, a team of Tufts University researchers announced that oil or soft tub margarine are the best sources of fat to maintain a healthy heart. In an article published in the June 24th issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Tufts scientists say that more saturated or hydrogenated forms of fat -- such as butter or some stick margarine -- actually increase cholesterol levels more than unsaturated fats such as oil, semi-liquid or soft margarines. Although many published epidemiological studies on this topic have linked both saturated and hydrogenated fat with cholesterol levels, the Tufts study demonstrates that even in the context of a low-fat diet, the higher the intake of both saturated and hydrogenated fat (which results in trans fatty acids), the higher the cholesterol levels. "The current approaches for the prevention of coronary heart disease should be aimed at reducing both saturated and trans fat intake," said Alice Lichtenstein, the principal investigator of the study and a senior scientist in the Lipid Metabolism Laboratory at Tufts University's USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging. "This study supports the American Heart Association recommendation for people to substitute softer or liquid fats for harder margarines, cooking fats and butter in their diet." Dr. Lichenstein stresses that "a wide range of fats and oils are currently available in the market. It is important to make informed choices with respect to the fat they use in order to lower their risk of developing heart disease." The Tufts researchers are available for interviews on the implications of their important study on hydrogenated fat and heart disease.
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