On Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:19:37 -0600, Paleo Phil <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> These seem to be the best of the anti-saturated-fat studies (there are
> others that contradict these, such as the Stanford Atkins-Ornish study  
> and
> the Framingham study). I was hoping that Todd or someone might have good
> counterarguments to or criticisms of these, as I couldn't find any  
> online.

The first study was based on one 24-hour dietary recollection on the part  
of the
participants. The rest of the paper was available to members only, and we
know nothing about their typical diet from the abstract.

The second study asked no questions about diet but instead looked at the  
fatty acid
levels in the blood, as indicative of their diet.  High levels of saturated
FA in the blood raised inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein.  
This
paper is accessible also so you can wade through it if you like.

The third study started with people on a very low-fat diet and then added  
beef drippings.  The third study has free access so I was able to read the  
details of the diet.  The first week of diet was the baseline.  In weeks 2  
and 3 participants ate a eucaloric but very low-fat diet. It consisted of  
grains and nonfat dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and 1 pound
of superlean beef per day. In addition to encouraging the consumption of  
breads and pastas, they were supplemented with a carbohydrate powder to  
20% of calories.  Candy and soft drinks were allowed.

In weeks 4 and 5, they replaced the carbohydrate powder with beef  
drippings (cooked beef fat) week 4 at 10%, week 5 at 20% of calories.   
While LDL went down during the low-fat weeks 2 and 3, and up only in week  
5, TG levels rose significantly during weeks 2, 3 and 4, and only dropped  
in week 5.  HDL levels dropped during weeks 2 and 3, and recovered in
week 5.  It is interesting to read the article.  It includes the goals of  
the researchers:
to show that ultra lean beef can be used in a cholesterol-lowering diet  
(i.e. you don't HAVE to be vegetarian to eat a ultra-low-fat diet).

IMHO none of these studies is a good match for the reaction of the body to  
saturated fat in the context of a paleo diet.

	Lynnet