An international team of experts on heart disease recently concluded that there isn't any solid evidence that cutting saturated-fat reduces the risk of heart disease for people with Familial Hypercholesterolemia.
Familial Hypercholesterolemia is a condition I am all too familiar with. I have been living with this genetic lipid abnormality my entire life. Countless doctors have urged me to start taking statins. I refused. And now a recent study out of the University of South Florida's Innovation Center states that I may be able to improve my lipid profile by cutting down on my intake of carbohydrate-rich foods. It's worth a try, since I refuse to take statins until they are proven to be completely necessary (my thoughts are that a PCSK9i would be more useful, but I cannot get my hands on a prescription for that...nor do I think I want to just yet).
Foods that raise blood sugar levels, such as bread, potatoes, sweets, and simple sugars, should be reduced or eliminated from ones diet if they want to improve their lipid profile. There were no studies that showed reduction of saturated fat alone had much effect on ones lipid profile. Especially because when study participants cut out this fat, they tended to consume more carbohydrate-rich foods to feel satiated.
David Diamond, one of the top cardiovascular disease researchers, believes that following a low-carbohydrate diet is more effective for people at increased risk of heart disease, in reducing the risk than a low saturated-fat diet. Other similar studies were conducted, and have concluded the same results. In my journey with living with FH, I have come across many doctors who have told me that I should become vegan. I tried this a decade ago and it didn't go well. Now, this new research suggests I would be better off reducing carbohydrate intake. I can get behind that, as this way of life actually makes more sense to me. Our ancestors didn't give up meat because it was unhealthy. And they definitely weren't eating a ton of processed carbohydrates. In fact, a lot of research points to an rise in metabolic disorders when carbohydrate consumption increased in the standard American diet. So there you have it: cut down on the carbs before you reduce your intake of fat.