Cholesterol. Dairy fats raise cholesterol, but cheese is less harmful than butter. In an Australian study, bad LDL cholesterol went up 9% in people who ate 4.2 ounces of Cheddar a day but 15% (or 67% more) in those who ate the same amount of butterfat. Some studies show cheese eaters aren't more likely to die of heart disease. Researchers say moderate amounts of cheese may be OK, even if you have high cholesterol.
Blood Clots. A little alcohol seems to reduce heart attacks: It's probably a blood thinner that discourages clots. At Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, the blood of those who had three to six drinks a week was less apt to clot than nondrinkers'. Caution: More than six drinks didn't add benefits.
Blood Pressure. Drinking coffee (regular or decaf) didn't raise risk of high blood pressure in a Harvard study. But having four or more colas daily hiked risk by 28% (sugared) or 19% (diet). In other research, eating dark chocolate and monounsaturated fats (olive oil) cut blood pressure.
Inflammation. High blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) signal inflammation, a heart disease villain. Eating fish suppressed CRP in Greek research. Women who eat the most trans fats (margarines, baked goods) have 73% higher CRP than those who eat the least, say Harvard researchers.
Copyright 2006 Jean Carper. Printed first in USA Weekend. All rights reserved.
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