We’ve been told to remove chicken skin because it is saturated fat?

True. That’s what we’ve been told, but chicken fat is 70 percent unsaturated. Chicken fat is dominantly monounsaturated oleic acid, the dominant fat in our bodies and the dominant fat in olive oil. Chicken fat is also a best source of antimicrobial palmitoleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that kills harmful bacteria and viruses. 

There are animal fats distinct from plant fats?

False. Fat in food is always a combination of saturated and unsaturated fat. Fats are shared by plants, animals, and microorganisms. As an example, chicken fat, lard and olive oil all contain a lot of monounsaturated oleic acid - the dominant fatty acid in our bodies. 

High cholesterol foods raise blood cholesterol?
 
False. In 1937, Columbia University biochemists David Rittenberg & Rudolph Schoenheimer demonstrated that dietary cholesterol had very little effect on blood cholesterol - a fact that's never been refuted. Also, cholesterol in food is poorly absorbed - 50 percent at best. (Mary Enig, PhD, lipid biochemist). Since the human body synthesizes between 1200 and 1800 milligrams of new cholesterol daily - and cholesterol is poorly absorbed in the intestines - there is no medical reason for limiting dietary cholesterol to 300 mg.  

Total Cholesterol (TC) is a good predictor of heart disease risk?
 
False.  Elevated Triglycerides (blood fats made in the liver from excess carbs) are a better, more reliable predictor of heart disease - coupled with low HDL cholestyerol. In 1950, University of California medical scientist John Gofman, using a newly invented one-of-a-kind centrifuge, discovered that there were several fat-like substances circulating in the blood, including VLDL and LDL. Gofman concluded that total cholesterol (TC) was a "dangerously poor predictor" of heart disease.

Excess dietary carbohydrates are stored as glucose?
 
False. Carbohydrate is stored as glycogen in muscle tissue and in the liver, but excess carbs are converted into saturated fat by the liver. On a blood test or screening, these body-made-fats circulating in the blood are referred to as Triglycerides (TG). Elevated TG are a reliable predictor of heart disease risk. A high carbohydrate diet is associated with elevated triglycerides.    

Diabetics need the extra potassium found in bananas?
 
False. There is potassium in most food. Bananas are relatively carbohydrate dense. For the carbohydrate-sensitive, bananas may represent an excess carbohydrate load. (Bananas are a good source of vitamin B-6 and in small amounts can contribute to a healthy diet in those who are not carbohydrate-sensitive.)  

Lard is a “bad" artery-clogging saturated fat?
 
False. Lard is approximately 60 percent unsaturated; dominantly monounsaturated oleic acid - same as olive oil. It is more accurate to say that lard is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat! (But, since 1961, without scientific foundation, the American Heart Association has been condemning lard and other animal fats as "bad" in order to promote vegetable fats because vegetable oil interests are donors to the American Heart Association.)

Butter is more fattening than olive oil?
 
False. Olive oil is more “fattening” than butter - although fats do not make us fat unless they are combined with a high carb intake. Butter contains 15-17 percent short and medium chain fats that are metabolized in the liver and do not go out into the general circulation. Also, butter is 20 percent water. Olive oil is 100% fat and contains only long chain fatty acids that are sent out 100 percent into the general circulation.

Health-food-store Canola oil is a “good fat.”

False. Canola is genetically-altered rapeseed. It is subject to high temperature, high pressure processing. Liquid Canola also contains trans fat even though the label may say “trans fat free.” Canola in baked goods can promote mold growth that you cannot see. Instead of Canola, use butter, coconut, palm, lard, sesame and olive oil - the traditional fats we have eaten for centuries!

Carbohydrates are essential in the human diet?

False. We have no biological requirement for carbohydrates. You can live a long and healthy without eating carbs!  A number of medical doctors agree with the late Dr. Atkins that most of us should choose our carbs wisely and restrict carbs to less than 60 grams per day.  

Cholesterol-lowering drugs reduced the incidence of heart failure.
 
False. The incidence (per capita) of heart failure has more than doubled since cholesterol-lowering statin drugs were introduced in 1987. 

The FDA and National Academy of Sciences rejected the original 1977 Dietary Guidelines.

True. Yes, the original 1977 low fat dietary guidelines were rejected by the FDA as a political document. Philip Handler, president, National Academy of Sciences, said the guidelines were an experiment on the American people with very little evidence that Americans would benefit.

Fiber is a key aspect of a heart healthy diet?

False. An apple a day and some salad vegetables is plenty of fiber. Fat – not fiber – is what we should fill up on, and fat stops food cravings. In the federal Women's Health Initiative Study, there was no evidence that the 29,000 women in the "intervention group" eating a high fiber diet were protected against cancer or heart disease by loading up on fiber and eating a low fat diet.  

The European country with the highest average cholesterol levels has the lowest life expectancy?
 
False. Switzerland has the highest average cholesterol levels (264 mg/dl) and the highest life expectancy in Europe (MONICA study). The Russians had the lowest cholesterol levels and the highest rates of heart disease.

The standard recommendation of 300 mg per day of cholesterol is based on a major clinical trial?

False. It was grabbed out of thin air.

Whole grains are a good source of zinc?
 
False. Red meat and shell fish are the best sources of easy to absorb zinc. Whole grains must be prepared properly by soaking or sprouting to prevent the phytic acid they contain from carrying zinc and other minerals out of the body.