Fat ...

 

Fat in the diet has long been linked to stroke risk, but new research  suggests that it’s the type of fat, not the amount, that may be the more important factor. 

The study found that eating more animal fat was linked to a higher risk of stroke, while getting more fat from vegetable sources was linked to a lower risk. 

Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death in the U.S., and nutritionists have long worked to understand how diet plays a role.

The study found that a higher intake of vegetable fats was linked to a lower risk of ischemic stroke, with those who ate the most vegetable and polyunsaturated fats (such as olive oil) 12 percent less likely to have ischemic strokes compared to those who ate the least. Eating less animal fats also appeared to have a positive impact on the risk for types of stroke. 

Participants who ate the most animal fat, which included fat from red and processed meat but excluded dairy fat,  were 16 percent more likely to have strokes than those who ate the least. Fat from dairy, on the other hand, wasn’t associated with stroke risk.

“This study fits with the prior nutritional science that shows that we should be eating primarily a plant-based diet.”   Just a thought.

“The average American diet relies on animal