hormones, but in doing so, you’ll pave the way to a heart attack.” I have news
for you: There is no relationship between saturated fat and heart disease. After
all, the epidemic of heart disease didn’t start in this country until margarine and
vegetable shortening—which contain trans fats, not saturated fats— were added
to our diet in the last century. Before that, lard and butter were widely used, and
heart disease was rare. In fact, I will go on to say that many research studies and
observations indicate that saturated fat may even protect against heart disease.
Yep, you read that right. Saturated fat can prevent heart disease. This
information is not new. It’s been witnessed in many cultures for decades, but the
food industry makes sure you never hear about it.
The Masai of Kenya
In the 1960s, researcher Dr. George Mann noted that the Masai of Kenya, who
have one of the richest diets in animal fats in the world, do not have any
incidence of heart disease. The Masai are known to drink a gallon of milk a day
and eat massive amounts of meat, but they are strong and lean. Autopsies
performed on Masai cadavers revealed no incidence of atherosclerosis, despite
their high animal fat intake.
The Samburus
Another East African tribe, the Samburus, eat even more animal fat than the
Masai—a whopping 400 grams of fat daily. You’d expect that they would have
astronomical rates of heart disease and stroke, but researchers have found the
exact opposite to be true. As a group, the Samburus have incredibly low blood
cholesterol levels and a notable absence of heart disease.
The Fulani of Nigeria
The Fulani of Nigeria also have a diet high in animal fat and a low incidence of
heart disease. Interestingly, once these people migrated to Western countries and
adopted a modern diet high in refined carbohydrates, partially hydrogenated
vegetable oils, and the like, their risk of heart disease increased dramatically.
The French
The so-called French paradox describes the relative low incidence of
atherosclerosis and heart disease in the French despite the high amounts of
saturated fat in their diet. The French are famous for their love of highfat