Foods like red meat, ice cream, full-fat dairy etc have always been associated with increase in bad cholesterol (LDL) in our body, due to their saturated fat content. Hence, people with high cholesterol level have always been advised to reduce the consumption of such kind of foods to minimise further heart-related risks. For the uninitiated, high cholesterol disorder can be due to two reasons – genetic or bad lifestyle choices; and the one passed down through families is termed as familial hypercholesterolemia.

A new study says, it is not the low-saturated fat diet that is effective for people diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia, rather they should eliminate carbs from their diet to reduce heart-related risks. Published in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, the researchers announced that they found no such evidence to support the claims that people suffering from familial hypercholesterolemia should reduce consumption of saturated fats.

As per the study, an international team of experts on heart disease and diet, including five cardiologists, evaluated the dietary guidelines for people with familial hypercholesterolemia. After the review, the experts stated that they found no justification behind the recommendation of the low saturated fat diet.

“For the past 80 years, people with familial hypercholesterolemia have been told to lower their cholesterol with a low saturated fat diet,” said lead author David Diamond, professor and heart disease researcher at the University of South Florida.

“Our study showed that a more ‘heart healthy’ diet is one low in sugar, not saturated fat,” he added.

It is also said that this research echoed the findings of another study that was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. That study provided strong evidence that food that raises blood sugar, such as bread, potatoes and sweets, should be minimised, rather than tropical oils and animal-base