This 'Healthy' Food Swap You've Been Making May Actually Be Bad For You

Do you think eating a diet as low in fat as humanly possible is the secret to all your health and weight struggles?

If so, you're wrong. But, I get it. For years, we all were told fat is exactly what makes us fat.

It's only recently come to light frequently eating healthy fats, like avocados and nuts, actually keeps us skinnier and healthier than that 100-calorie pack of low-fat (and high-sugar) cookies.

But, here's one thing we all haven't extensively talked about. According to science, it might be time to start cooking with butter again.

I know. Isn't that the best news you could possibly hear on a Wednesday?

Before you dump all your vegetable oil down the drain, let's take a look at the research.

Authors of a new study analysis published in British journal The BMJ this week took a closer look at a nearly 50-year-old study done on saturated fat and linoleic acid, which is what's found in vegetable oil.

The 1960s study was a big one. It had over 9,000 participants and found consuming linoleic acid rather than saturated fat, found in butter, led to lower cholesterol.

Here's the catch: According to the analysis, consuming linoleic acid rather than saturated fat didn't reduce mortality.

Walter Willett, chairman of the nutrition department at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said this very old study is now "irrelevant to current dietary recommendations," according to The New York Times.

While this analysis doesn't give you permission to stuff your face with butter on the regular, it does mean butter probably isn't as evil as we all thought.

Actually, when consumed in moderation, butter is actually pretty good for you. Research found butter fights cancer, reduces diabetes symptoms, is packed with vitamins that boost your immune system and keeps bones strong and teeth healthy.

If you need me, I'll be at the grocery store stocking up on sticks of butter.

Citations: Recovered Data Casts Doubt On Whether Replacing Saturated Fat With Vegetable Oil Protects Against Heart Disease (Medical Daily), Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73) (The BMJ), A Decades-Old Study, Rediscovered, Challenges Advice on Saturated Fat (The New York Times), 6 Reasons Why Butter Is Good For You (Huffington Post)