In this study, eating more whole grains or low-sugar carbs didn’t seem to help lower cholesterol levels, which is surprising because other research says it should.

People who eat better-quality fats, proteins, and carbs—like more fish, nuts, whole grains, and less processed meat—are less likely to have high cholesterol or triglycerides.

People in China who eat a lot of carbs that spike their blood sugar quickly are much more likely to develop heart disease compared to those who eat fewer of these carbs.

Even though Chinese adults eat a lot of white rice and other sugary carbs, their risk of heart disease doesn’t seem to go up just because of how fast those carbs raise blood sugar—what matters more is how much of those carbs they eat overall.

People in China who eat a lot of white rice and other refined wheat foods like white bread may be almost three times more likely to develop heart disease as they get older, compared to those who eat much less of these foods.