An American doctor sparked outrage today by calling for health advisers to stop condemning saturated fat as "unhealthy".
The drive against saturated fats has led to people being advised to switch to carbohydrates and omega-6 oils, according to Dr James DiNicolantonio, a heart disease researcher.
Writing in the journal Open Heart, he claims that diets low in saturated fats do not reduce heart disease risk or extend life.
The current advice is based on "flawed and incomplete" research from the 1950s, he claims.
He has particular criticism for processed vegetable oils that are rich in omega-6, particular those based largely on corn oil or safflower oil.
Dr DiNicolantonio, of Ithaca, New York, USA, is a doctor of pharmacy and a cardiovascular research scientist.
Public Health England said it accepted that advice on carbohydrates needs reviewing.
So-called low-carb diets have proved popular and have been linked to weight loss – although experts still dispute their long-term effect on health.
Alison Tedstone, director of nutrition at Public Health England, said: "The totality of the evidence suggests that high saturated fat intake is associated with raising total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) blood cholesterol levels which, over time, could lead to an increased risk of developing heart disease.
"It is therefore reasonable to conclude that a reduction in saturated fat intake will lower total and LDL blood cholesterol which, in turn, may reduce the risk of developing heart disease."
And Victoria Taylor, of the British Heart Foundation, said: “In the UK, our intake of total fat meets the recommended levels but we eat too much saturated fat, so there is still work to be done.
"That’s why we still need to swap saturated fats like lard and butter for unsaturated fats such as plant oils, nuts, seeds and oily fish.
“There have been many column inches devoted to the saturated fat debate in recent months, but fat is just one element of our diet. To look after our hearts long term, we should look at our diet as a whole."
She added: "Eating a Mediterranean style diet rich in fruit, veg, pulses and fish will help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.”
The cardiometabolic consequences of replacing saturated fats with carbohydrates or omega 6 polyunsaturated fats: Do the dietary guidelines have it wrong? Open Heart 6 March 2014; doi 10.1136/openhrt-2013-000032 [abstract]
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