For generations, the consumption of dairy products has beenpositively associated with the health and wellness of families andcommunities. Nevertheless, the recent shift in dietary trends hasfocused on "what not to eat" instead of emphasizing "what to eat,"resulting in demonizing the naturally occurring fats in dairy,while overlooking its many essential nutrients. However, the long-held beliefs about the impact of saturated fattyacids (SFA) on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are beingchallenged by a new perspectives paper from an internationalsymposium, held at the University of Copenhagen in May, 2010 andchaired by Professors Arne Astrup and Walter Willet. The paper inthe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , currently available online, addresses "The role of reducingintakes of saturated fat in the prevention of cardiovasculardisease. Where does the evidence stand in 2010?" This first of its kind meeting brought together many of the world'sleading scientists to debate and discuss this controversial topic.The experts concluded that "single risk factors have limitationswhen considered on their own because the effects of diet on CVDrisk are mediated by many pathways, with blood lipids being onlyone." Further, the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol is a better predictor of the effect ofsaturated fatty acids on CVD risk than LDL- and/or totalcholesterol, as individual fatty acids have differential effects onvarious blood lipids. Vinyl Cutter Plotter
When it comes to determining the correlationbetween CVD and food, the entire components comprised within thefood matrix may be more important than concentrating solely onfatty acids content. As an example, the paper points out that theprotein, calcium and other nutrients within cheese, includingcertain fatty acids, may offset the effects of its SFA content onblood lipids and overall CVD risk. According to the experts, current evidence only suggests thatsubstitution of SFA by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), but not carbohydrates , results in a lowering of total and LDL cholesterol. "However,even this conclusion isn't the last word, as there is growingrecognition that individual fatty acids within the PUFA categoryhave different physiologic effects," said Dr. Cindy Schweitzer,Technical Director, Global Dairy Platform, referring to a recentanalysis published in the British Journal of Nutrition whichreported that substitution of certain PUFA for SFA and trans fattyacids increased risk of coronary heart disease (Ramsden BJN 2010). Cutting Plotter Machine
When viewed in totality, the expert group concluded that the effectof a specific food on risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) cannotbe determined on the basis of its SFA content alone and outlinedspecific issues that need to be addressed in future research. A similar view is echoed in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines forAmericans, released on January 31, which states "Moderate evidenceshows that intake of milk and milk products is linked to improvedbone health, especially in children and adolescents. Moderateevidence also indicates that intake of milk and milk products isassociated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes and with lower blood pressure in adults." "We commend the efforts of Astrup et al in enriching ourunderstanding of the complex relationships between diet and health.The importance of this symposium cannot be overstated in focusingattention on this topical area of dietary recommendations and thecontribution of dairy products to the intake of nutrients essentialfor good health," said Dr. Schweitzer. Source: Melanie Nimrodi Global Dairy Platform Additional References Citations. Contour Cutting Plotter
When it comes to determining the correlationbetween CVD and food, the entire components comprised within thefood matrix may be more important than concentrating solely onfatty acids content. As an example, the paper points out that theprotein, calcium and other nutrients within cheese, includingcertain fatty acids, may offset the effects of its SFA content onblood lipids and overall CVD risk. According to the experts, current evidence only suggests thatsubstitution of SFA by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), but not carbohydrates , results in a lowering of total and LDL cholesterol. "However,even this conclusion isn't the last word, as there is growingrecognition that individual fatty acids within the PUFA categoryhave different physiologic effects," said Dr. Cindy Schweitzer,Technical Director, Global Dairy Platform, referring to a recentanalysis published in the British Journal of Nutrition whichreported that substitution of certain PUFA for SFA and trans fattyacids increased risk of coronary heart disease (Ramsden BJN 2010). Cutting Plotter Machine
When viewed in totality, the expert group concluded that the effectof a specific food on risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) cannotbe determined on the basis of its SFA content alone and outlinedspecific issues that need to be addressed in future research. A similar view is echoed in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines forAmericans, released on January 31, which states "Moderate evidenceshows that intake of milk and milk products is linked to improvedbone health, especially in children and adolescents. Moderateevidence also indicates that intake of milk and milk products isassociated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes and with lower blood pressure in adults." "We commend the efforts of Astrup et al in enriching ourunderstanding of the complex relationships between diet and health.The importance of this symposium cannot be overstated in focusingattention on this topical area of dietary recommendations and thecontribution of dairy products to the intake of nutrients essentialfor good health," said Dr. Schweitzer. Source: Melanie Nimrodi Global Dairy Platform Additional References Citations. Contour Cutting Plotter