Even though people in the past ate more butter and meat, their bad cholesterol was probably higher than ours today—yet they didn’t get heart disease.

High intake of dietary saturated fats elevates circulating low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in humans.

Prior to the widespread consumption of industrial seed oils and refined carbohydrates in the early 20th century, clinical cases of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease were exceptionally rare in human populations consuming diets high in animal fats.

Dietary intake of saturated fatty acids increases circulating levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in humans through upregulation of hepatic cholesterol synthesis and reduced LDL receptor expression.

Eating cholesterol doesn’t reliably raise bad cholesterol, and when it does, it also raises good cholesterol just as much, so your overall heart risk doesn’t change.

The emergence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease as a leading cause of death occurred only in the 20th century, despite consistent human consumption of animal-based diets throughout evolutionary history.