blood and raise your risk of heart disease. To reduce the risk of heart disease, USDA/Health
and Human Services Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting the amount of
cholesterol in your diet to no more than 300 mg a day. The guidelines also recommend limit-
ing the amount of fat you consume to no more than 30 percent of your total calories, while
holding your consumption of saturated fats to no more than 10 percent of your total calories
(the calories from saturated fats are counted as part of the total calories from fat).
Increased risk of acid reflux. Consuming excessive amounts of fats and fatty foods loosens
the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a muscular valve between the esophagus and the
stomach. When food is swallowed, the valve opens to let food into the stomach, then closes
tightly to keep acidic stomach contents from refluxing (flowing backwards) into the esopha-
gus. If the LES does not close efficiently, the stomach contents reflux to cause heartburn, a
burning sensation. Repeated reflux is a risk factor for esophageal cancer.
Food/Drug Interactions
Butter