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Is One Super High Fat Meal a Concern for Heart Attack Risk?
As seen on BCTV February 8/00
IS ONE SUPER HIGH FAT MEAL A CONCERN FOR HEART ATTACK RISK?
Since February is Heart Month, this seemed a timely question to pose:
Is One Super High Fat Meal a Concern for Heart Attack Risk?
According to the February 2000 issue of the University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter.
Research is showing that a single high fat feast can have a negative effect on your heart.
The fat from one meal can stay in the bloodstream for 6 to 8 and even up to 12 hours. So if you eat a high fat breakfast and lunch, your body can still be absorbing fat when you add more at dinner time.
High fat meals increase the levels of a substance in the bloodstream known as Factor VII, which promotes clotting and can therefore increase the risk of a heart attack. A level of 70-90 grams of fat at one meal could cause this response. Low fat meals or meals high in ‘good’ fats such as fish oil don’t have this effect.
One study that still requires verification, suggested that taking vitamin C and E pills immediately prior to a high fat feast may provide protection from reduced arterial blood flow that can happen from the fat. Red wine has not been proven to assist in any way with this Factor VII concern.
The Bottom Line: If you have high blood pressure, smoke, never exercise, are overweight or have a number of risk factors for heart disease already, a high fat splurge can be a risky situation. So as always, apply the 80-20 rule even on a per meal basis! (That is, 80% healthy, 20% flexible!
Watch for the Eating for Energy segment every Tuesday on BCTV’s Noon News Hour!
Article written by Patricia Chuey and reprinted with permission