Dr. Cordain Revises Stance on Sat Fat

BLUF:  "The bottom line is that we do not recommend cutting down saturated fatty acid intake but rather decrease high-glycemic load foods, vegetable oils, refined sugars, grains, legumes and dairy."


Nice bit that follows describing the mechanisms driving formation of atherosclerotic plaques (note: the LDL that oxidizes most easily is the small, dense LDL; the levels of these LDLs are driven higher by high carb consumption):
"Moreover, some studies have suggested that there’s not enough scientific data to support the view that increased total or LDL cholesterol is an independent risk factor for CVD, but rather oxidized LDL. Plaque production is mediated by oxidized LDL but not LDL. Oxidized LDL can produce shedding of the inner layer of the artery namely glycocalix. Then oxidized LDL infiltrates in the intima of the artery. Oxidized LDL is eaten by macrophagues, a process known as phagocytosis, and therefore macrophagues are transformed into foam cells which produce the fibrous cap.

Once the fibrous cap has been produced we need to break it down in order to produce an ischemic event. Lectins and low-grade chronic inflammation are involved in the activation of matrix metalloproteinases which break down the fibrous cap.

In summary, high total cholesterol or LDL levels do not increase CVD risk but rather oxidized LDL. To produce oxidized LDL we need the factors mentioned above. Hence, consumption of saturated fatty acids is not an issue if we control several other factors such as those mentioned before.

Dr. Cordain wrote a book chapter where he shows that saturated fat consumption in ancient hunter-gatherer populations were usually above recommended 10% (American Heart Association) of energy from saturated fats yet non atherogenic."

The bottom line is that we do not recommend cutting down saturated fatty acid intake but rather decrease high-glycemic load foods, vegetable oils, refined sugars, grains, legumes and dairy."

http://thepaleodiet.blogspot.com/2010/03/paleo-diet-q-saturated-fat.html