Fat myths, checked
What people believe about the fats they eat, why it sounds right, and what is true.
No Eating fat makes you fat
In a year-long trial of 609 adults, healthy low-fat and low-carb diets lost about the same weight. Fat has 9 calories a gram, so the portion decides it.
Not the way you think Saturated fat is fine now, so butter is back
In 15 trials, cutting saturated fat meant 17% fewer heart events. The 2026 guidelines still cap it at 10%. Butter is an option, and olive oil is still first.
Yes, but Full-fat dairy is fine now, so eat all you want
The 2026 guidelines say full-fat dairy with no added sugar, and saturated fat under 10%. Three cups of whole milk is 15.3 g, about 70% of a 2,000 calorie line.
No You shouldn't cook with olive oil because of its smoke point
In one lab test, extra virgin olive oil smoked at 404 °F and broke down less over 6 hours at frying heat than the seed oils. Deep frying tops out around 356 °F.
Sort of Avocado oil is the best oil for high heat
It's a good oil, built a lot like olive oil. But in one lab test the avocado oil smoked at 386 °F, before the olive oil did. Smoke point depends on the bottle.
Not the way you think You need to fix your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio
Your EPA and DHA is the number to raise, and fish raises it. People with more omega-6 in their blood had less heart disease, in 30 cohort studies.
Not the way you think Fish oil capsules protect your heart
In VITAL, 25,871 people took fish oil or a placebo for 5 years, and major heart events came out 386 against 419. Above 1 g a day, atrial fibrillation got more likely.
Sort of Trans fat is gone, so you can ignore it
Partially hydrogenated oil has been out of US food since 2018 to 2021. A little trans fat occurs naturally in milk, butter and meat, and labels round it to zero.
Not the way you think Margarine is worse than butter
The old margarines were made with trans fat. US spreads haven't had partially hydrogenated oil since 2018, and soft tub spreads carry far less saturated fat than butter.
