The Right Kind Of Fat Can Be Good For Your Heart Health

A new study shows evidence that one type of fat is capable of reducing the odds of a stroke.

When we think of fat, we don’t tend to think about the healthy kind, the type that’s present in avocados and fatty fish. For the most part, we think about french fries and high cholesterol, fats that contribute to a large horde of illnesses and conditions. But a new study found another type of fat that’s good for our heart.

According to the study, presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2021, plant-based fats are capable of lowering the risk of strokes. Researchers found that people who consumed the most of these fats were 12% less likely to have strokes when compared to people who consumed the least of them.

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These fats can be found in foods plant-based oils, like sunflower and corn, and are contrasted with fats that come from animals, like red meat, which have often increased the risk of strokes.

“Our findings indicate the type of fat and different food sources of fat are more important than the total amount of dietary fat in the prevention of cardiovascular disease including stroke,” said Fenglei Wang, PhD, lead author of the study.

Researchers were able to track the different types of fats people consumed by asking them to fill out a questionnaire. There were 27 years of follow-up, resulting in a long study made up of thousands of participants. Key findings of the study include participants who ate more animal fats were more likely to experience strokes, and fats belonging to dairy weren’t associated with an increased risk of strokes.

While fat should always be monitored, it shouldn’t be ignored, since it’s a very important part of our diets and helps us absorb nutrients and vitamins.

Studies like this are always interesting, helping us better understand our bodies and the ways they work. Still, we should always prioritize healthy eating, putting plant-based proteins first, and limiting the processed fats we consume.