Cut Saturated Fats to Reduce Lung Cancer Risk

A body of evidence suggests you should cut down on saturated fats, found primarily in animal foods, like meat and dairy products, and boost healthy fats, such as unsaturated plant fats (avocado, nuts, seeds, olives). That’s why the Dietary Guidelines recommends that you limit your intake to no more than 10% of your calories, which is about 200 calories (22 grams) from saturated fat per day for the average person. And now new research shows that consuming high amounts of saturated fats and low amounts of polyunsaturated fats (good fats found in plant foods) may increase the risk of developing lung cancer. The analysis of 10 studies from the US, Europe, and Asia identified 18,822 patients with lung cancer over a mean follow-up of about nine years. High intakes of total and saturated fat were associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, while high intake of polyunsaturated fats showed a decreased lung cancer risk. The increased risk in high saturated fat consumption was more evident among current smokers than non-smokers and for squamous and small cell carcinoma.

(Journal of Clinical Oncology,   July 2017)

Read the full study here.

Image: Rustic Avocado Garlic Toast, Sharon Palmer, RDN