Hidden Harm To The Heart

[lowest of the low singhni]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7605999.stm

(There's a video in the above link)

Ahmed Al Haj is only 48 and looks healthy on the outside, yet this Bangladeshi waiter has ended up on the operating table for a triple heart bypass.

As a Muslim, Ahmed does not smoke or drink, but his diet has been rich in ghee, the clarified butter in which many south Asian dishes are drenched.

Instead of a healthy pink muscle, his heart looks like a pulsating lump of lard after a lifetime of eating too much saturated fat.

The layer of fat encasing Mr Haj's heart was so thick the surgeons doing his triple bypass could not see his coronary arteries.

Surgeon Shyam Kolvekar from The Heart Hospital at University College London, who performed Mr Haj's triple bypass, said cases like this were increasingly common and highlighted the dangers of eating too much saturated fat.

"There are plenty of healthy looking people walking around who do not know they have heart disease.

"This patient looked healthy on the outside, but when we opened him up his heart was covered with fat. It looked like a piece of lard pumping.

"When there is that much fat it makes the bypass harder to do."

Mr Haj, from London, recovered well from his operation and was discharged home after five days.

Mr Kolvekar said when he became a consultant cardiac surgeon eight years ago the bulk of bypass operations he did were on older people.

Now he is seeing people in their 40s and 50s needing triple bypasses.

He said: "People need to think about what they are eating. It is not just calorie intake that is important. Fat is also a worry."

The footage, taken at The Heart Hospital a few weeks ago, has been released with Mr Haj's permission to highlight the hidden danger done by fried snacks, pastries and buttery foods.

The images will be used in a live debate about the dangers of saturated fat on www.satfatnav.com on Wednesday 10 September at 1830 BST.

[Papi]

It's not the saturated fat that is a problem, its the complete lack of exercise.

Older people who did physical labour used to eat massive amounts of gheo everyday, they did not have any major heart problems. In fact, those people even in their 60's could kick my butt any day.

Moral of the story should be: eat sensibly, get off your butt and exercise.

[Mehtab Singh]

You are right. My mom's masser jee used to live in Punjab and used to do heavy physical labor. I have myself seen him gobble up a cup full of ghiyo during dinner, and like you said, he could take down people 40 years younger to him.

[Matheen]

I did some research in desi ghee some time ago. It's actually healthier than practically all other fats. Many restaurants use the cheaper vegetable ghee - which is really bad for you so stick to real desi ghee where you can. Another mistake many people make is to use olive oil for cooking sabzi etc - it gets too hot and creates peroxides. It's only suitable cold or for quick cooking, where it doesn't get too hot. Also, butter is better than margarine.

Interesting that the link at the end of the BBC article leads to website owned by unilever - one of the UKs biggest margarine producers.

As with many things, moderation is key - even too much water is bad for you!!

Please read the article below.

Like any clarified butter, ghee is composed almost entirely of saturated fat. Ghee has been shown to reduce serum cholesterol in one rodent study.[2] Studies in Wistar rats have revealed one mechanism by which ghee reduces plasma LDL cholesterol. This action is mediated by an increased secretion of biliary lipids. The nutrition facts label found on bottled cow's ghee produced in the USA indicates 8mg of cholesterol per teaspoon.

Indian restaurants and some households may use hydrogenated vegetable oil (also known as vanaspati, Dalda, or "vegetable ghee") in place of ghee for economic reasons. This "vegetable ghee" is actually polyunsaturated or monounsaturated partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, a trans fat. Trans fats are increasingly linked to serious chronic health conditions. Not only is "vegetable ghee" implicated in causing high LDL, it also lacks the health-promoting benefits claimed for "Shuddh" (Hindi for Pure) ghee. The term Shuddh Ghee, however, is not officially enforced in many regions, so partially hydrogenated oils are marketed as Pure Ghee in some areas. Where this is illegal in India, law-enforcement often cracks down on the sale of fake ghee.[3] Ghee is also sometimes called desi (country-made) ghee or asli (genuine) ghee to distinguish it from "vegetable ghee".

When cooking, it can be unhealthy to heat polyunsaturated oils such as vegetable oils to high temperatures. Doing so creates peroxides and other free radicals. These substances lead to a variety of health problems and diseases. On the other hand, ghee has a very high smoke point and doesn't burn or smoke easily during cooking. Because ghee has the more stable saturated bonds (i.e., it lacks double bonds which are easily damaged by heat) it is not as likely to form dangerous free radicals or advanced glycation endproducts when cooking.

Ghee's short chain fatty acids are also metabolized very readily by the body, which would seem to negate concerns of its health effects. However, there is significant controversy between traditional oils and modern industrially processed oils which tends to heavily cloud the facts and issues surrounding oil consumption.

[Laadli Fauj]

I've heard the fat found in avocados is really good for prostate.

[Papi]

I thought canola oil was more suitable for cooking than olive oil?

[jasleen k]

I've heard the fat found in avocados is really good for prostate.

the fat in avocados will lower your cholesterol for sure. some people say it can prevent certain cancers. it's definitely very good for your skin and hair. plus it tastes so yummmmy.