The Good, the Bad, and the Delicious

By Aaron Shulman
June/July 2006

bilingual health resources stay on top of your health: 2006 health calendar

Good fats and bad fats. Atkins and South Beach. Low-fat and low-carb. You’re forgiven if you can’t keep these dietary buzzwords straight. Now get ready for more confusion: a controversial study by the National Institutes of Health Women’s Health Initiative found cutting total fat intake only slightly reduces women’s risk of breast cancer and has no effect on colorectal cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Does this mean women can now indulge in Twinkies and chips guilt-free? No!

In spite of the overarching findings, women in the study who lowered their intake of “bad” fats —saturated and trans fats, found in processed foods, meats, and some dairy products— tended to have lower cholesterol and a smaller risk of heart disease. Women who had the highest fat intake and reduced it the most showed a potentially lower risk of breast cancer. 

Resources Heart disease: the heart truth national awareness campaign Weight loss: Aim for a healthy weight Obesity education initiative Diet: Steps to a healthier you from the united states department of agriculture

This means you should ignore the bad angel on your shoulder and choose “good” fats—monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, which are found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

And pay attention to total fat, says Jacques Rossouw, project officer of the study: “Women who have chosen a low-fat eating pattern did not gain weight, so it remains a healthy choice.”

Results for the 1,854 Hispanic participants were consistent with those of the 49,000 healthy postmenopausal women in the entire study—as were the recommendations: