Butter and cream are really bad for you

Cutting butter and cream from your diet will improve your health, an official review has concluded.British government advisers who assessed a number of major studies concluded that foods high in saturated fat do increase the risk of heart disease.The fats have been demonised since the 1970s, but some evidence also suggests they have health benefits.The 443-page review aimed to end the debate once and for all. It said there was no need to change official advice that saturated fat should make up no more than 10% of an adult’s daily intake. The matter is still far from settled, however – as one critic responded by calling the authors ‘incompetent’.The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition advised Britons to replace butter with low-fat spread, full-fat milk with semi-skimmed, and cream with yoghurt. It also warned against the effects of eating too much cheese, fatty meat, cake, biscuits and pastries.The committee said the findings are pressing because, despite years of warnings about saturated fat, many still consume far more than the recommended maximums.According to the latest dietary surveys by Public Health England, children and teenagers eat around 30% too much saturated fat; adults aged 19-64 eat 19% too much; those aged 65-74 consume 25% too much; and over-75s have 43% too much.Too much saturated fat increases the risk of heart problems as it raises cholesterol in the blood, causing a build-up in the veins and arteries which puts added strain on the heart. Around 7.4mn people in the UK have heart disease and it kills 170,000 every year.The report, which assessed the results of 47 large studies published since 1994, is the first official review of the evidence in 25 years.The committee’s Professor Paul Haggarty said: “Looking at the evidence, our report confirms that reducing saturated fat lowers total blood cholesterol and cuts the risk of heart disease. Our advice remains saturated fats should be reduced to no more than about 10% of dietary energy.”Professor Louis Levy, head of nutrition science at Public Health England, added: “The review supports and strengthens current advice. We recommend eating foods high in saturated fat less often and in smaller amounts and swapping to unsaturated fats to help achieve a healthy, balanced diet.”The government’s former obesity tsar, professor Susan Jebb of Oxford University said: “This authoritative report updates and confirms evidence from other national and international experts. We need to cut down our consumption of cakes, biscuits, pastries and desserts which account for a very large proportion of total saturated fat intake.“Doing so would also cut sugar and our total calorie intake, bringing much wider health benefits.”Professor Naveed Sattar of Glasgow University said: “The saturated fat question continues to be debated and so it is nice to see an updated and objective look at the best available evidence. The best advice to lessen health risks remains the same – cut intake of foods richer in saturated fats and replace with unsaturated foods or other healthier options.”However, NHS cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra added a note of caution. He said: “The committee have revealed gross incompetence on their advice on consumption of saturated fat being a risk for heart disease. Certain types of dairy saturated fat are associated with less heart disease. “They would be doing the public a much greater service by advising on eating whole foods whilst reducing ultra-processed foods which now make up a staggering half of the British diet.”  - Daily Mail