Reducing the risk of heart disease was the reason why the low-fat diet was created back in the 70s. However, current research seems to be divided about this. On the one hand, according to a study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, swapping unhealthy fats (such as trans fats and saturated fats) for healthier ones and high-fiber foods, as the low-fat diet suggests, might lead to a 17% risk reduction. Similarly, a review published in Healthcare found that replacing saturated fats with higher intakes of healthy fats like mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs and PUFAs) can help reduce total blood cholesterol levels, LDL and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure, improving multiple risk factors for heart disease at the same time. In addition, the review also found a risk reduction when the intake of high-fiber foods like whole grains was increased.
On the other hand, research also suggests that saturated fat intake is not associated with a higher risk of heart disease, as previously believed. For instance, a 10-year-long study published in Nutrition and Metabolism determined that there was no association between unhealthy fat intake and an increased risk of heart disease and even urged a reconsideration of the dietary recommendations for fat intake that have been around for decades. Still, if you’d like to add more healthy fats to your diet, try including olive and canola oils, fatty fish, such as tuna, trout, salmon, and mackerel, avocado, and nuts like peanuts, cashews, almonds, and pecans in your meals and snacks (via Harvard Health Publishing).