On Sun, 19 Dec 1999, Dori Zook wrote:

> Unsaturated fats are the good fats, true.  But if your carbs are kept low,
> saturated fats will not hurt your cholesterol level.  Far from it.  Low carb
> intake will get your cholesterol right were it belongs.

This is a perennial question in lowcarb circles.  First there is
the question of whether you should be concerned about cholesterol
at all.  Opinions are very much divided on this question.  Loren
Cordain, whom you will see quote often around here as one of the
leading authorities on paleodiet, thinks they do matter.  The
authors of Neanderthin concur with him.  There are reasons to be
skeptical, however.  Many of these reasons are rehearsed by
Ravnskov at http://home2.swipnet.se/~w-25775/index.htm

Next, while it is true that many people see "improvement" in
their cholesterol profile (i.e., reduction in LDL and TGL;
increase in HDL), not all do.  Some see a "worsening."

A recent study of a high sat-fat diet is reported at
http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/10786a.htm.  In this study,
cholesterol profiles did indeed improve.  The study is not yet
published in a peer-reviewed journal; I am currently trying to
find out if it has been submitted anywhere for publication.

So there is no unequivocal answer to the question of how a diet
high in animal fats affects cholesterol, especially in
individuals already known to have a tendency to elevated
cholesterol levels.  My own *conjecture*, based on what I have
read and heard from various people who have tried these things,
is that calories matter as well as carbs.  In the Hays study
linked above, calories were controlled at a moderately
hypocaloric level (1,800 cal/day).  Lyle McDonald, author of _The
Ketogenic Diet_, also reports that the blood lipids of people on
high sat-fat diets appear to improve as long as the people are
losing weight.  My own experience is consistent with this, but as
far as I know it has not been demonstrated in a scientific way.

Todd Moody
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