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Men ate 5 burgers a week, how their cholesterol changed was surprising
nypost.com • • health
Key Points:
- A recent study published in Nutrients found that men who ate five hamburgers per week for five weeks experienced no harm to blood vessel health, with high-fat ground beef actually improving blood vessel dilation and lowering blood pressure.
- Contrary to common beliefs, consuming high-fat beef (around 25% fat) reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad" cholesterol) levels, which are typically linked to increased cardiovascular disease risk.
- Low-fat ground beef (about 5% fat) did not affect blood vessel dilation, and both high- and low-fat beef decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good" cholesterol) levels, which help clear cholesterol from blood vessels.
- This study challenges the longstanding view that saturated fats from red meat are universally harmful, suggesting that short-term consumption of high-fat beef might lower blood pressure and cardiovascular risk.
- Other research indicates that plant-based proteins, such as mycoprotein, can reduce bad cholesterol by 10% and may offer heart health benefits similar to the Mediterranean diet.
