Not all trans fats are bad, major review finds — SkimNews
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- University of Reading researchers analyzed 22 studies and found that natural trans fats in dairy foods do not raise the risk of heart disease or type 2 diabetes, distinguishing them from industrial trans fats.
- The study, published in the journal Nutrition Research, reviewed evidence from thousands of participants across Europe, Canada, and the United States.
- Ten controlled dietary trials showed no meaningful differences in blood lipid levels between participants consuming enhanced dairy trans fats (1.3 to 13.2 grams per day) and those consuming regular dairy products.
- Twelve long-term cohort studies, some lasting more than two decades, found no association between higher blood levels of dairy trans fats and heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular death, or diabetes.
- Professor Ian Givens, a lead author, said the research should reassure consumers that dairy eaten as part of a balanced diet is not something to worry about for heart health.
- The researchers said the findings could help clarify consumer understanding of different trans fat types and inform labeling policies.
Why it matters: Public health policy has increasingly lumped all trans fats together, but the 22-study review provides robust evidence that naturally occurring dairy trans fats (consumed at 1.3–13.2 grams per day) behave differently from industrial ones. This could push regulators and food labels to differentiate between the two, reducing unnecessary consumer confusion and potentially protecting dairy consumption from blanket trans-fat stigma.
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