Q: I’m confused by the latest study that says it’s carbs, not saturated fat, that are bad for your heart. What exactly is the scoop? —Daryl G., Andover, Massachusetts
A: We’re glad you asked about that study from Ohio State University. It’s a bit confusing. Here are the facts:
■ The study included only 16 folks (around 44 years old), all with metabolic syndrome. That means they had at least three of five risk factors for heart disease, stroke and diabetes: a large waistline; low HDL “good” cholesterol; high blood pressure; and elevated triglyceride and glucose levels.
■ The study looked at how high-saturated- fat, low-carb diets and high-carb, lowsaturated- fat diets affect blood levels of saturated fatty acid (known to lead to cardiovascular disease) and an omega-7 fatty acid called palmitoleic acid.
■ Folks ate from 32-84 grams of saturated fat and 47-346 grams of carbs daily.
High-saturated-fat diets (with low carb intake) didn’t cause increased blood levels of saturated fatty acids. But eating more carbs (with low sat fat) did. However, many folks eat diets high in both sat fat and carbs, and that’s a big heart hazard they didn’t examine.
■ Researchers characterized increased palmitoleic acid levels that resulted from the high-carb, low-sat-fat diets as bad. We think that increase may happen as the body tries to counteract harm caused by too many carbs. Plus: This omega-7 can reduce insulin resistance and triglyceride levels — very heart friendly! Getting it from foods such as macadamia nuts and fish is smart, and taking purified omega-7 supplements hasn’t been shown to pose any risk.
■ The researchers didn’t insist that the carbs were 100 percent whole grain. Whole grains help lower bad cholesterol levels and control blood fats, while refined carbs increase inflammation and your risk for heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
■ The OSU study was funded by the Dairy Research Institute, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Egg Nutrition Center (all sat-fat-friendly institutions).
Our conclusion? Your best bet is to eliminate all refined carbs and most sat fat.
(The researchers didn’t look at that combo.) That one-two punch provides the strongest health boost — protecting your heart, brain, sex life and metabolism.
Q: I bought an electric space heater. Now I hear that space heaters caused 23,000 fires last year. Are they dangerous? — Randy B., La Crosse, Wisconsin
A: The most reliable numbers we could find are from the Consumer Product Safety Commission: In 2003 in the U.S., malfunctions of fixed and portable space heaters caused 21,800 residential fires, about 300 deaths and 6,000 trips to the emergency room.
And during the years 2009-2011, the CPSC says that electric space heaters (and these are the numbers that apply to your situation, Randy) were associated with about 1,100 fires, 50 deaths and 130 injuries annually. Furthermore, this year more than 490,000 electric space heaters were recalled because of their potential for causing fires and injury. Here’s a partial recall list:
■ Vornado VH110 Whole Room Vortex electric space heaters; recalled Aug. 14, 2014. About 79,000 sold in the U.S.
■ Duraflame-branded electric space heaters, model DFS-220; recalled March 5, 2014. About 31,000 sold in the U.S.
■ Dyson Hot Heaters and Dyson Hot+ Cool Heaters; model numbers AM04 and AM05; recalled April 1, 2014. About 338,000 sold in the U.S. and 43,000 in Canada.
Go to www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/ to see if your model is on the list. And no matter what brand you have, be alert to the risks:
■ Make sure your unit is approved by a certified lab such as Underwriter’s Laboratory.
■ Turn it off when you are sleeping or out of the room for any length of time.
■ Keep the unit on a hard, flat surface at least 3 feet away from furniture, curtains, beds or flammable material.
■ Make sure your unit has an automatic shut-off when it gets too hot or gets knocked over.
■ Plug it directly into the wall. Overloaded power strips can cause fires.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Dr. Mike Roizen is chief medical officer at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. Submit your health questions at www.doctoroz.com.