The British Medical Journal has broadcast a stirring statement to everyone trying to fend off heart disease: Saturated fat is not the big baddie it’s been made out to be. The real nasties to watch out for are processed carbs and added sugar.

This is big news. Not for those who have been working at the forefront of nutrition and holistic health – who have long been preaching the perils of ‘sweet poison’ and processed foods – but it’s definitely a massive step forward for traditional Western medicine. 

For decades, the standard medical advice has been that in order to ward off heart disease, we need to focus on reducing our saturated fat. In practice, this has led to people consuming a bucket-load of low-fat processed products (like yogurt, cheese, snack foods, cakes, crackers, chips, candy, microwave meals etc.), thinking that they are making the best choice for their hearts and their health.

But the reality is this: when fat is taken out of a food, you have to replace it with something to maintain the flavor and texture. And do you know food companies use to do this? 

That’s right, sugar.

Low fat products are super high in sugar. In fact, Dr Peter Attia of the Nutrition Science Initiative goes so far as to say ‘If you see anything that says “fat-free” or “low-fat” on the package, that’s a huge warning sign to avoid it. [It] is almost universal code for, “we took out the fat and stuffed in more sugar.”‘

A recent flurry of studies has confirmed that saturated fats are more useful for preventing heart disease than a low-fat diet. One study demonstrated that the saturated fat in dairy may help ward off inflammation and hypertension (both big heart disease risk factors). Another showed that the Mediterranean diet (high in saturated fats in the form of olive oil, avocado, fish and dairy) was more effective than both statin medications and low-fat diets for avoiding repeat cardiac events.

“It is time to bust the myth of the role of saturated fat in heart disease and wind back the harms of dietary advice that have contributed to obesity,” writes cardiologist Aseem Malhotra in the British Medical Journal article. Translation: we need to drastically cut back on sugar, and stop being scared of the natural fats found in wholefoods.

Here are my top 5 tips to help you put this all-important advice into action immediately:

1. Get off the processed foods. If you’re eating low fat snack cakes, microwave meals, granola bars, muffins, breakfast cereals or anything else labeled ‘low fat’, swap them for less processed, lower-sugar alternatives. Ideally, whole foods should make up the bulk of your diet.
2. Start adding in healthy fats. My simple guideline is to ask yourself this: would you find this fat in nature? If the answer is yes, then it’s probably a safe bet. This means avocado, nuts, pasture-raised meat and eggs, organic dairy, fatty fish and coconut are all great… Even bacon has a place in a healthy diet (nitrate free, if possible, please!)  But things like processed margarines, hydrogenated oils and Trans fats are out.
3. Cut back on condiments. This is one of those sneaky areas where sugar slips in stealthily and you might not even realize it. Ketchup, barbecue sauce, sweet chili sauce, satay sauce and low-fat condiments (like fat free mayonnaise) are all sugar bombs. (Did you know that barbecue sauce has more sugar than chocolate syrup?!) Stick to low-sugar alternatives, like wholegrain mustard, salsa, Tobasco, soy sauce and full-fat mayo. You can also find great low-sugar alternatives making their way onto supermarket shelves, such as ketchup sweetened with stevia instead of sugar.
4. Watch your liquids. We all know that soda isn’t the best choice for us, but the sugar doesn’t stop there. That pumpkin spice latte is bad news too. As is the white chocolate mocha and the vanilla chai frappe. Stick to plain coffee and tea, without the extra syrups and snazzy flavors. And swap fruit juices for vegetable juices, or at least for smoothies (where the fiber from the whole fruit helps to off-set the intense sugar hit). And for a refreshing cool drink, try adding lemon or lime juice and some mint leaves to plain soda water. 
5. Makeover your breakfast. I’m going to be writing more on this, because so many people are chowing down on a total sugar-fest as their morning meal, without even realizing it. The good news is this is one of the easiest meals to makeover. For now, start reading the labels on your breakfast foods – cereals, breads, bagels, juice, syrups, jellies and cakes are all deserving of scrutiny. You might be shocked as to what you find there. Good bets include green smoothies, eggs, bacon, unsweetened Greek yogurt, oats and quinoa. These will fuel your body with long-lasting energy and maximum nutrients.

So there you have it: 5 straight-up, no-nonsense ways to improve your diet and your health straight away. 

Sugar is such an insidious part of the standard American diet, and cutting it out is not as clear-cut as you may think. In the coming months, I’m going to be writing a lot about the effects of the sweet stuff on your weight, your hormones, your sleep, your cholesterol – and of course, your heart. So make sure you sign up to my newsletter to stay in the loop and keep your fingers on the pulse. This is one conversation you don’t want to miss out on!