The Real Culprit is Seed Oils and Refined Carbohydrates
A high fat diet does not cause heart disease, nor does high cholesterol. In fact, the evidence suggests the opposite. A major study published in Food & Nutrition Research analysed data from 42 European countries and found that higher consumption of animal fats and proteins correlated with significantly lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) rates.
Conversely, the study also found that diets high in refined carbohydrates and processed foods — especially those cooked in industrial seed oils like canola, soybean, and sunflower oil — were linked to an increased risk of heart disease. This challenges conventional dietary advice, which blames nutrient-rich whole fats and saturated fats for cardiovascular disease.
The Key Findings
For decades, mainstream nutrition guidelines and medical advice have promoted low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets as the key to heart health. The assumption has been that saturated fat and cholesterol increase heart disease risk, while whole grains and plant-based diets reduce it. However, the findings from this study directly contradict many of these long-held beliefs.
Blood Pressure
Higher total fat and animal protein intake correlated with lower blood pressure and reduced risk of hypertension.
Higher carbohydrate intake correlated with higher blood pressure and higher risk of hypertension.
Cholesterol
Higher cholesterol levels correlated with lower risk of heart disease mortality.
Lower cholesterol levels correlated with a higher risk of heart disease mortality.
Heart Disease
Higher dietary fat and animal protein intake was linked with lower heart disease risk.
High intake of carbohydrates (especially ) was linked with higher heart disease risk.
Why This Should Not Come as a Surprise
The findings of this study, however, should come as no surprise. The role of fat, protein, and cholesterol in supporting cardiovascular health is well-established in scientific research.
How Dietary Fats Support Cardiovascular Health
Energy & Metabolism
Fats provide a stable, long-lasting energy source that prevents blood sugar spikes and insulin resistance, both of which are linked to heart disease.
Cellular & Arterial Integrity
Saturated and monounsaturated fats help maintain cell membrane structure, supporting vascular flexibility and function.
Cholesterol & Hormone Production
Fat is essential for cholesterol synthesis, which is required for hormone production (testosterone, oestrogen, cortisol) and bile acid formation for digestion.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Omega-3 fatty acids from fish and grass-fed meats reduce systemic inflammation, which is a primary driver of arterial damage and atherosclerosis.
Lipid Profile Optimisation
Saturated fat increases HDL ("good" cholesterol) while stabilising LDL particle size, reducing the risk of oxidised LDL, which contributes to plaque formation.
How Dietary Protein Supports Cardiovascular Health
Blood Pressure Regulation
Protein intake increases nitric oxide (NO) production, promoting vasodilation (blood vessel relaxation) and reducing hypertension risk.
Lipid Profile Improvement
High-protein diets are linked to higher HDL ("good" cholesterol) levels and lower triglycerides, both of which reduce cardiovascular risk.
Muscle & Metabolic Health
Adequate protein intake preserves lean muscle mass, preventing sarcopenia and metabolic syndrome, both of which are associated with higher CVD risk.
Blood Sugar Control
Protein helps stabilise glucose levels by slowing digestion and reducing insulin resistance, a major factor in heart disease.
Tissue Repair & Vascular Integrity
Essential amino acids in animal protein support collagen production and arterial repair, maintaining strong and flexible blood vessels.
How Cholesterol Supports Cardiovascular Health
Cell Membrane Structure
Cholesterol maintains cell membrane integrity, ensuring the proper function of heart and blood vessel cells.
Hormone Production
Cholesterol is a precursor for steroid hormones such as testosterone, oestrogen, and cortisol, which regulate metabolism, inflammation, and vascular function.
Bile Acid Formation & Fat Digestion
Cholesterol is necessary for bile acid production and aids in the digestion and absorption of essential fats and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K).
Antioxidant & Repair Mechanism
Cholesterol is transported to damaged arteries to aid in repair, counteracting oxidative stress and inflammation. Oxidised LDL — not cholesterol itself — is the real risk factor for heart disease.
Brain & Nervous System Support
Cholesterol is vital for synapse formation and nerve function, contributing to cognitive and cardiovascular regulation.
Why Have Fat, Protein and Cholesterol Been Demonised?
Given the overwhelming evidence supporting the benefits of dietary fat, protein, and cholesterol for cardiovascular health, it is perplexing — if not outright alarming — how the broader health community demonised these essential nutrients for so long. For decades, medical consensus warned against them, urging the public to embrace low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets despite mounting data to the contrary.
At best, this reflects a deep-rooted misunderstanding of nutritional science. At worst, it points to a deliberate effort to vilify fat, protein, and cholesterol — driven by financial interests. The reality is that it's probably due to a combination of the two. Here's why.
Failure to Differentiate Between Real Fats and Synthetic Fats
One of the fundamental shortcomings of modern nutritional science is its failure to meaningfully distinguish between whole, natural fats (like those found in animal meats, butter, and olive oil) and industrially processed seed oils (like canola, soybean, and sunflower oil). Instead, both are often grouped under the broad category of "fats" or "saturated fats" — distorting scientific conclusions and misleading public health guidelines.
While whole fats from unprocessed sources have been part of the human diet for millennia and are rich in essential fat-soluble vitamins, stable fatty acids, and beneficial compounds, seed oils (which are chemically extracted and often oxidised before consumption) were introduced only in the last century. These oils are disproportionately high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats, which, when consumed in excess, drive systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic dysfunction.
This lack of discernment between real and synthetic fats has led to dietary recommendations that paradoxically promote the very metabolic dysfunction they were meant to prevent. The result is a population consuming fewer whole, nourishing fats and more unstable, pro-inflammatory oils — an imbalance that has coincided with rising rates of cardiovascular disease.
Corruption in Science and Nutritional Advice
In 1948, the American Heart Association received a significant donation of $1.7 million (approximately $20 million today) from Procter & Gamble, the makers of Crisco oil. Subsequently, the AHA advocated for reducing saturated fat intake in favour of polyunsaturated vegetable oils.
In the 1960s, the Sugar Research Foundation (now the Sugar Association) funded research to shift the blame for heart disease. They paid three scientists about $50,000 each to downplay the link between sugar and heart disease while positioning saturated fat as the primary culprit. This strategic manipulation shaped public perception and dietary guidelines for decades, fuelling the widespread vilification of dietary fat.
Similarly, a 2007 analysis exposed a glaring conflict of interest: studies that reported positive results for a cholesterol-lowering drug (statin) were over 20 times more likely to have been funded by the very company selling it. In other words, Big Pharma was bankrolling the research that conveniently justified billions in drug sales, rigging the science in their favour.
A Final Word
The evidence is clear: dietary fat, protein, and cholesterol are not the enemies of heart health — they are essential to it. The real culprits lie in the refined, high-glycemic carbohydrates that have been pushed as "healthy" for decades. The vilification of fat isn't just misguided; it has been engineered — fuelled by corporate interests to sell carbohydrate-rich, processed foods and pharmaceutical solutions.
