The Nation - News from March 20, 1986

Replacing saturated fats with olive oil in food helps reduce cholesterol, according to new research that suggests Mediterranean fare is a healthy alternative to very low-fat diets for people whose cholesterol levels are too high. Olive oil is high in mono-unsaturated fat, and the research shows that eating food rich in this fat effectively lowers cholesterol levels in the blood, just as a very low-fat diet does. A high blood cholesterol level sharply increases the risk of heart disease, according to a study by Dr. Scott M. Grundy published in the New England Journal of Medicine.