cholesterol in food not a concern, new report says, refuting over 50 years' worth of "settled science."
By Ben Tinker, CNN
Updated 7:18 PM ET, Thu February 19, 2015
"Cholesterol is not considered a nutrient of concern for overconsumption."
Inside the advisory report
Sure enough, there it is, buried on page 91 of the 572-page Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: "Previously, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended that cholesterol intake be limited to no more than 300 mg/day. The 2015 DGAC will not bring forward this recommendation because available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum (blood) cholesterol, consistent with the AHA/ACC (American Heart Association / American College of Cardiology) report. Cholesterol is not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption."
What has foodies buzzing is that this is somewhat of a tectonic shift regarding one of the main nutritional designations of the foods we eat. Cholesterol has been a prominent part of dietary warnings and guidelines since the American Heart Association put the compound in its crosshairs more than half a century ago.
Dr. Steven Nissen, chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, told CNN: "The idea we need to limit saturated fat and cholesterol shifted Americans from a well-balanced diet to high-sugar diets, which made people eat more and get fatter."
The reality, according to Nissen, is that only 15% of circulating cholesterol in the blood comes from what you eat. The other 85% comes from the liver. "So if you go on a diet," he says, "you're not changing your cholesterol very much." Still, nutritionists are not recommending you go out and binge on cheeseburgers and fries.
A lot is riding on this decision. Foods that are high in cholesterol, like eggs, shrimp and lobster, could see a major uptick in sales. These foods, perhaps limited inside -- or banished from -- your home, could make a big comeback.
By Ben Tinker, CNN
Updated 7:18 PM ET, Thu February 19, 2015
"Cholesterol is not considered a nutrient of concern for overconsumption."
Inside the advisory report
Sure enough, there it is, buried on page 91 of the 572-page Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: "Previously, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended that cholesterol intake be limited to no more than 300 mg/day. The 2015 DGAC will not bring forward this recommendation because available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum (blood) cholesterol, consistent with the AHA/ACC (American Heart Association / American College of Cardiology) report. Cholesterol is not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption."
What has foodies buzzing is that this is somewhat of a tectonic shift regarding one of the main nutritional designations of the foods we eat. Cholesterol has been a prominent part of dietary warnings and guidelines since the American Heart Association put the compound in its crosshairs more than half a century ago.
Dr. Steven Nissen, chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, told CNN: "The idea we need to limit saturated fat and cholesterol shifted Americans from a well-balanced diet to high-sugar diets, which made people eat more and get fatter."
The reality, according to Nissen, is that only 15% of circulating cholesterol in the blood comes from what you eat. The other 85% comes from the liver. "So if you go on a diet," he says, "you're not changing your cholesterol very much." Still, nutritionists are not recommending you go out and binge on cheeseburgers and fries.
A lot is riding on this decision. Foods that are high in cholesterol, like eggs, shrimp and lobster, could see a major uptick in sales. These foods, perhaps limited inside -- or banished from -- your home, could make a big comeback.
