Nezam El-Tayebat Fact CheckA scientific assessment of the “نظام الطيبات” nutrition system
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Mostly false Scientifically refuted Certainty of evidence: moderate provisional C-FAT-01

Natural fats such as baladi ghee and butter are not a cause of clogged arteries (contrary to the previously dominant view); 'good fats do not stick'.

Safety note: People with high LDL cholesterol or cardiovascular disease should not abandon lipid-lowering treatment or medical advice on dietary fat based on this claim.
In short: The claim is mostly false: ghee and butter raise LDL cholesterol compared with plant oils, and LDL is a proven cause of artery disease; small amounts carry a small risk, but these fats are not harmless for the arteries.
Conclusion: Saturated-fat-rich ghee and butter raise LDL cholesterol, which contributes to artery disease; moderate amounts are a small risk, but they are not harmless.
  1. Original statement
  2. Scientific assessment
  3. Scientific evidence in detail
  4. In plain language
  5. Studies on this claim
  6. Regional context
  7. What applies in my country?
  8. References

Original statement

يرى الدكتور العوضي أن الدهون الطبيعية كالسمن البلدي والزبدة ليست سبباً مباشراً في انسداد الشرايين، بعكس ما كان سائداً.

not verbatim – paraphrase. Translation by the project; the Arabic wording is authoritative.

Translation

Natural fats such as baladi ghee and butter are not a cause of clogged arteries (contrary to the previously dominant view); 'good fats do not stick'.

Origin

Source status
Third-party site (unofficial)
Attribution
Third-party site altayybat.com (unofficial)
Origin
https://altayybat.com/ar/
Attribution uncertainty
Unofficial fan/summary site; lowest attribution level; no video references given. Paraphrase of Elawady's view by the site.
Claimed mechanism

Fats are broken down in the gut and liver; natural fats do not deposit in arteries.

Claimed health effect

No cardiovascular harm from ghee and butter.

Population concerned

Everyone.

Geographic restriction by Elawady

none found

Diverging source versions

الدهون لازقه ان دهون ضاره فبتلزق لكن الدهون الطيبه لا تلزق

Source status
Video transcript (own words)
Attribution
Elawady (machine transcript)
Video
Dr Diaa Al Awady د ضياء العوضي is live! السيليوليت (Open source)
Published
11 October 2025
Timestamp
2:25:08 (location in the original video’s automatic YouTube caption track; confirms where the words occur, not who speaks)
Attribution uncertainty
Archive transcript (YouTube CC or AI-generated); no timestamps; wording may contain transcription errors; spoken live-stream language, context partly conversational.

الزبدة والسمن

Source status
Archive food list
Attribution
Archive food list (eltayebat.com/foods; EN: /en/foods/)
Origin
https://eltayebat.com/foods/
Attribution uncertainty
Classification by the archive; no rationale or video reference given on the list page.

سلّق اللحم جيداً أولاً ثم احمره في السمنة — هذه هي الطريقة الموصى بها في النظام.

Source status
Third-party site (unofficial)
Attribution
Third-party site altayybat.com (unofficial)
Origin
https://altayybat.com/ar/
Attribution uncertainty
Unofficial fan/summary site; lowest attribution level; no video references given.

اللبن بكل انواعه والزبادي والكريمة واللبنة ممنوعة — تسبب الانتفاخ

CONFLICT: mytayibat lists cream (الكريمة) as forbidden together with milk, yoghurt and labneh, whereas altayybat lists butter, baladi ghee and cream (قشطة) as allowed; possibly different products (qishta vs liquid cream).

Source status
Third-party site (unofficial)
Attribution
Third-party site (unofficial; lowest attribution level)
Origin
https://mytayibat.com/forbidden
Attribution uncertainty
mytayibat.com is an unofficial third-party site in the sense that it is neither the eltayebat.com archive nor Elawady's own words. Its footer describes it as 'المنصة الرسمية التعليمية لنظام الطيبات' ('the official educational platform of the Tayebat system'), and its pages refer to it as 'the official platform'. This self-description could not be verified: no evidence was found that the site is authorised by Dr. Diaa Elawady's heirs or by the eltayebat.com archive. By contrast, altayybat.com states that it is not affiliated with Dr. Diaa Elawady. Lowest attribution level; page fetched 2026-10-25.

وباكل سمنه بلدي كل يوم وباكل رز وبطاطس كل يوم

...and I eat baladi ghee every day, and I eat rice and potatoes every day.

Source status
Video transcript (own words)
Attribution
Elawady (machine transcript)
Video
ارتفاع ضغط البطن والاضطراب الهرموني وظهور كل ماهو مناعي #ضياء_العوضي (Open source)
Published
10 January 2026
Timestamp
0:48:20 (location in the original video’s automatic YouTube caption track; confirms where the words occur, not who speaks)
Attribution uncertainty
Archive transcript (YouTube CC or AI-generated); no timestamps; YouTube original not checked; wording may contain recognition errors. Ghee is consistent across sources.

Scientific assessment

Mostly false – Essential parts of the statement are not supported by the evidence or are strongly exaggerated.

Certainty of evidence: moderate – Further research may still affect the assessment.

1. What was claimed?

Ghee and butter do not contribute to arterial disease.

2. What is demonstrably correct?

At usual population intakes, butter was only weakly associated with mortality (RR 1.01 per 14 g/day) and not with CVD (RR 1.00) in a meta-analysis of cohorts (I-FAT-03). This estimate is limited: it rests on only 4 cohorts for CVD (3 for CHD), some adjusted for blood cholesterol (a mediator), at mostly modest intakes (median 4.5-46 g/day); no ghee study exists, and the authors rate unsaturated oils as healthier than butter. Some researchers argue that food matrix matters and that some saturated-fat-rich foods (e.g. whole-fat dairy) are not associated with CVD (I-FAT-07). No single food 'directly clogs' arteries.

3. What is wrong or exaggerated?

Butter and ghee are rich in saturated fat (general food-composition knowledge). Reducing saturated fat lowers serum cholesterol and reduced combined cardiovascular events by 17% (RR 0.83, 0.70-0.98; moderate-quality evidence) in long-term RCTs (I-FAT-01). LDL causes atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (I-FAT-02). WHO strongly recommends limiting saturated fat to 10% of energy and replacing it with polyunsaturated fat (I-FAT-08). In the system, ghee is the default cooking fat without quantity limits, which can lead to high saturated-fat intakes.

4. What remains unclear?

Effects of ghee specifically (few studies); effects at moderate intakes within an otherwise healthy diet.

5. Which studies support it?

I-FAT-07 (critical review of saturated-fat limits); partly I-FAT-03 (near-null butter associations at modest intakes); I-FAT-104 (cohort meta-analysis: saturated fat not associated with CHD, RR 1.06, 0.95-1.17, very low certainty); I-FAT-103 (Isfahan cohort, Iran: ghee not associated with CVD events; limited power); I-DRY-101 (2026 US guidelines list butter as an option, while keeping the 10% saturated-fat cap). None of these can show that ghee or high butter intakes are safe for arteries.

6. Which studies contradict it?

I-FAT-01 (Cochrane RCTs), I-FAT-02 (LDL causal), I-FAT-08 (WHO guideline), I-FAT-102 (RCT: replacing ghee with rapeseed oil lowered LDL, triglycerides and liver fat), I-FAT-111 (RCT meta-analysis: butter raised LDL by 0.19 mmol/L compared with the same fat as cheese), I-FAT-101 (US cohorts: highest butter intake HR 1.15 for mortality; replacing 10 g/day butter with plant oils HR 0.83).

7. What applies to Germany and Europe?

WHO and European guidelines recommend limiting saturated fat (I-FAT-08).

8. What is known about Egypt?

Ghee is traditional in Egyptian cooking; cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in Egypt (not quantified here).

9. What practical conclusion is appropriate?

Butter and ghee in moderation are not shown to be dangerous, but unrestricted use as the main cooking fat is not supported; plant oils rich in unsaturated fats are the better default.

Assessment details

Rationale for certainty of evidence

Moderate-quality RCT evidence shows that reducing saturated fat reduces cardiovascular events; LDL is causal for atherosclerosis; butter- and ghee-specific outcome data are limited and observational.

Source quality

Third-party paraphrase, consistent with Elawady's transcript statements.

Regional transferability

Universal; ghee (samna baladi) is widely used in Egypt.

Individual exceptions

People with familial hypercholesterolaemia or established cardiovascular disease are particularly affected by saturated-fat-induced LDL rises.

Regional scope of the claim
general (biological/medical)
Last reviewed
26 October 2026 provisional

Scientific evidence in detail

Scientifically refuted – High-quality evidence shows the opposite, or the claim contradicts well-established physiology.

Research question: Do saturated-fat-rich natural fats such as ghee and butter contribute to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, compared with unsaturated plant oils?

Research question in detail (PICO)
Population
Adults, including people with high LDL or CVD
Intervention or exposure
Ghee/butter as main cooking/table fat
Comparison
Unsaturated plant oils
Geographic scope
universal biology; ghee use common in Egypt and the region
Outcomes
  • LDL cholesterol
  • Cardiovascular events
  • Mortality

Study results as reported by the authors. Our assessment follows below.

What speaks for the claim?

What speaks against the claim?

What does the overall evidence say?

Editorial assessment based on the studies above – not itself a study result.

Which position is better supported?

Ghee and butter raise LDL cholesterol relative to unsaturated oils, and LDL causes atherosclerosis; outcome data for butter at modest intakes are weak, so moderate use is a small risk, but the claim that they are not a cause of artery disease is not correct.

Why some studies weigh more

RCTs on SFA reduction and LDL causality (I-FAT-01, I-FAT-02), direct lipid RCTs (I-FAT-102, I-FAT-111) and a large butter cohort (I-FAT-101) outweigh null cohort associations of very low certainty (I-FAT-104, I-FAT-103).

Is a causal relationship established? Probable SFA -> LDL is established in RCTs; LDL -> ASCVD is causal; food-level outcome evidence is observational.

Remaining uncertainty

Ghee-specific outcome data; dose thresholds; matrix effects.

Justified conclusion

Unrestricted ghee/butter as the default fat is not supported; plant oils are the better default.

Why do studies seem to disagree?

Cohort studies of total SFA (I-FAT-104) do not model what replaces SFA (often refined carbohydrate), whereas RCTs and substitution analyses (I-FAT-01, I-FAT-101) compare SFA with unsaturated fats; they answer different questions and are compatible.

Does this depend on the country?
General biological effects
Universal.
Eating habits
Samna baladi (ghee) is a traditional default fat in Egypt; hydrogenated vegetable ghee also exists and adds trans-fat risk (I-FAT-103 shows HVO harm).
Origin of the food
Ghee fatty-acid profile varies with animal and feed (not quantified).

A regional difference that changes the conclusion is not supported by robust data.

Statistical re-check
  • CI log-symmetry; absolute risk – Symmetric except substitution HR (minor); absolute risks not reported -> ARR not computable. recalculated
  • LDL unit conversion and CTT-based extrapolation – 7.5 mg/dL = 0.19 mmol/L -> ~5% fewer vascular events if sustained (assumption). recalculated
  • Consistency of CI and P value for HVO – CI 1.02-2.78 excludes 1 but P=0.058 -> inconsistent; borderline. recalculated
Certainty of the overall evidence (GRADE, simplified)
Main outcome
Cardiovascular events with SFA-rich fats v unsaturated oils
Starting level
high (randomised trials)
Reasons for downgrading
  • indirectness (few ghee-specific outcome data)
Result
moderate

Simplified assessment by a single reviewer, following the GRADE approach; not a formal GRADE panel. GRADE rates the body of evidence for one outcome, not individual studies.

Clinical guidelines and official statements checked
  • WHO: Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline (2023) · Original publication
    Landing page fetched (17 July 2023). Recommendations as registered in I-FAT-08: reduce saturated fat to 10% of energy (strong); replace with PUFA (strong), plant MUFA or fibre-rich carbohydrate (conditional).
  • USDA/HHS: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 (2026) · Original publication
    Dairy 3 servings/day (full-fat, no added sugar); full-fat dairy important for children; calcium-rich dairy in pregnancy; olive oil prioritised for cooking, butter or beef tallow as other options; saturated fat should not exceed 10% of daily calories (I-DRY-101).
  • ESC/EAS: 2019 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias (PMID 31504418) and 2025 Focused Update (PMID 40878289) (2019/2025) · Original publication could not be retrieved; content not used
Search strategy

Documented literature searches for this review (search strings in the original database syntax).

DatabaseDateSearchLooking forHitsIncluded
Europe PMC26 October 2026(ghee OR "clarified butter") AND (cardiovascular OR "coronary" OR cholesterol OR lipid OR atherosclerosis)both directions1991
PubMed26 October 2026(ghee[tiab] OR clarified butter[tiab]) AND (coronary[tiab] OR cardiovascular[tiab] OR cholesterol[tiab] OR lipid*[tiab])both directions120
Europe PMC26 October 2026AUTH:"Mohammadifard N" AND (ghee OR "butter oil" OR "hydrogenated")supporting evidence35
Europe PMC26 October 2026(butter) AND (mortality OR cardiovascular) AND ("plant-based oils" OR "olive oil" OR "vegetable oil") AND (cohort) AND PUB_YEAR:[2021 TO 2026]both directions1300
PubMed26 October 2026"saturated fat*"[tiab] AND (cardiovascular[tiab] OR coronary[tiab]) AND (cohort*[tiab] OR prospective[tiab]) AND meta-analysis[pt] AND ("not associated"[tiab] OR "no association"[tiab])supporting evidence6
PubMed26 October 2026de Souza RJ[au] AND saturated[ti] AND trans[ti]supporting evidence1
Europe PMC26 October 2026("cholesterol hypothesis" OR "LDL hypothesis" OR "diet-heart hypothesis") AND (critique OR questioned OR inconsistent OR "does not cause")supporting evidence115
PubMed26 October 2026cheese[ti] AND (mortality[tiab] OR cardiovascular[tiab] OR diabetes[tiab]) AND (meta-analysis[pt]) AND 2017:2026[dp]both directions4

Open questions

Prospective ghee outcome studies in Egypt/South Asia.

How deeply was this checked?

11 linked studies: 4 checked in full text (2 of them with a structured risk-of-bias assessment), 7 on the basis of the abstract, 0 bibliographically only. No formal assessment with two independent reviewers and no independent human expert review has taken place yet.

Last scientific review: 26 October 2026

History of the verdict
  1. 25 October 2026 · Phase 1 · Initial assessment: Mostly false (moderate)
  2. 26 October 2026 · Phase 4 (systematic evidence review) · Re-examined with extended evidence; verdict unchanged: Mostly false (moderate)
    New direct evidence on ghee (I-FAT-102) and butter (I-FAT-101, I-FAT-111) supports the existing verdict; a regional null cohort (I-FAT-103) and a cohort meta-analysis (I-FAT-104) are acknowledged as the best supporting evidence but are of very low certainty. The 2026 US guideline allows butter as an option but keeps the 10% saturated-fat cap.
    New sources: I-FAT-101 I-FAT-102 I-FAT-103 I-FAT-104 I-FAT-111 I-DRY-101

In plain language

Ghee and butter are mostly saturated fat. Saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol, and LDL is a proven cause of narrowed arteries. Long-term trials found about 17% fewer heart and stroke events when people ate less saturated fat. Studies of butter alone found only small effects at normal intakes, so a little butter is not a big danger. But the claim that natural fats do not affect the arteries is not correct, especially when ghee is used freely every day.

Studies on this claim

Studies supporting the claim (3)

  • Some experts argue saturated fat limits are outdated

    Astrup A et al.. J Am Coll Cardiol 2020 · PMID 32562735 · DOI 10.1016/j.jacc.2020.05.077
    Narrative reviewindependent cross-checkabstract checked

    Claims whole-fat dairy and unprocessed meat are not linked to more CVD.

    Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: low · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Reassess SFA advice.

    How was the study done?

    Narrative review.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    n/a

    What was actually found?

    Argues against stricter limits.

    How large was the observed effect?

    n/a

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    A debated minority view.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Narrative; COI.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Partial support for 'fats not harmful'.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    Moderate.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    That ghee is harmless.

    Scientific details →

  • Iranian study: ghee not linked to heart events; hydrogenated oil linked to heart attacks

    Sadeghi M et al.. Int J Food Sci Nutr 2021 · PMID 33719857 · DOI 10.1080/09637486.2021.1895725
    Cohort studyindependent cross-checkabstract checked

    No association for ghee; HVO top quartile ~68% more MI (borderline).

    Ghee not associated with CVD events in Isfahan cohort.

    Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: low · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Study fat types and CVD in Iran.

    How was the study done?

    Cohort, 13 years.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    5432 adults.

    What was actually found?

    Ghee not associated; hydrogenated oil possibly harmful.

    How large was the observed effect?

    HVO MI HR ~1.68.

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Hydrogenated (trans) fats are the clearer danger.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Low power.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Partly supports the claim.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    Regional.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Cannot show ghee is safe.

    Scientific details →

  • Cohorts did not link saturated fat to heart disease; trans fat was linked

    de Souza RJ et al.. BMJ 2015 · PMID 26268692 · DOI 10.1136/bmj.h3978
    Meta-analysisindependent cross-checkabstract checked

    SFA and CHD RR 1.06 (0.95-1.17); trans fat and mortality RR 1.34.

    SFA intake not associated with CVD/CHD in cohorts (very low certainty).

    Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: high · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Summarise saturated and trans fat studies.

    How was the study done?

    Meta-analysis of cohorts.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    Up to 339,090 people.

    What was actually found?

    No clear SFA link; trans fat harmful.

    How large was the observed effect?

    SFA CHD RR 1.06.

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    The main proven danger is trans fat; SFA effects depend on what replaces it.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Very low certainty; replacement not modelled.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Partly supports the claim.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    International.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Cannot show ghee is safe for arteries.

    Scientific details →

Studies contradicting or limiting the claim (6)

  • Cochrane: eating less saturated fat reduces heart and stroke events

    Hooper L et al.. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020 · PMID 32827219 · DOI 10.1002/14651858.CD011737.pub3
    Meta-analysisindependent cross-checkabstract checked★ key study

    17% fewer combined cardiovascular events (RR 0.83); no clear effect on deaths.

    Reducing SFA: CVD events RR 0.83.

    Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: high · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Effect of less saturated fat.

    How was the study done?

    Meta-analysis of 15 RCTs.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    56,675 adults.

    What was actually found?

    Fewer CVD events; mortality unchanged.

    How large was the observed effect?

    RR 0.83 (0.70-0.98); NNTB 56.

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Cutting saturated fat helps the heart modestly.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Old, heterogeneous trials.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Contradicts 'ghee and butter don't affect arteries'.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    High.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Effect of a specific food like ghee.

    Scientific details →

  • Experts: LDL cholesterol causes artery disease

    Ference BA et al.. Eur Heart J 2017 · PMID 28444290 · DOI 10.1093/eurheartj/ehx144
    Guideline / position statementindependent cross-checkfull text, structured risk-of-bias assessment★ key study

    Genetic studies, cohorts and drug trials agree: more LDL over time means more atherosclerosis.

    Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: moderate · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Establish whether LDL is causal.

    How was the study done?

    Consensus review of all evidence types.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    >2 million people.

    What was actually found?

    LDL causes ASCVD.

    How large was the observed effect?

    Log-linear dose-response.

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    High LDL is harmful.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Expert consensus, not a systematic review; most panel members have ties to cholesterol-drug makers; absolute-benefit tables are projections.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Contradicts claims that fat/cholesterol cannot harm arteries.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    High.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Effects of single foods.

    Scientific details →

  • WHO: keep saturated fat at or below 10% of energy

    World Health Organization. WHO guideline 2023
    Guideline / position statementindependent cross-checkfull text checked

    Replace with plant oils rich in unsaturated fats.

    Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: high · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Set SFA/TFA intake limits.

    How was the study done?

    WHO guideline.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    Global.

    What was actually found?

    Limit SFA to 10% of energy.

    How large was the observed effect?

    Strong recommendation.

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Use plant oils instead of animal fats.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Population advice.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Contradicts unrestricted ghee.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    High.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Effect of a single meal.

    Scientific details →

  • More butter linked to higher mortality; plant oils to lower

    Zhang Y et al.. JAMA Intern Med 2025 · PMID 40048719 · DOI 10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.0205
    Cohort studyindependent cross-checkabstract checked★ key study

    Highest v lowest butter HR 1.15; swapping 10 g butter for plant oil linked to 17% lower mortality.

    Butter HR 1.15 for mortality; replacement by plant oils HR 0.83.

    Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: moderate · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Compare butter and plant oils with mortality.

    How was the study done?

    Three cohorts, 33 years.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    221,054 adults.

    What was actually found?

    Butter higher, plant oils lower mortality.

    How large was the observed effect?

    HR 1.15 v 0.84.

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Using plant oils instead of butter is likely healthier.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Observational.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Contradicts 'butter is harmless'.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    US data.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Cannot prove butter causes death.

    Scientific details →

  • Swapping ghee for rapeseed oil improved fatty liver and cholesterol

    Maleki Sedgi F et al.. Br J Nutr 2024 · PMID 38501177 · DOI 10.1017/S0007114524000564
    Randomised controlled trialindependent cross-checkabstract checked★ key study

    Less liver fat, LDL -7.5 mg/dL, triglycerides -40 mg/dL over 12 weeks.

    Replacing ghee lowered LDL, TG and liver fat.

    Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: low · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Test replacing ghee with rapeseed oil.

    How was the study done?

    Randomised trial, 12 weeks.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    110 Iranian adults with fatty liver.

    What was actually found?

    Better liver fat, lipids, sugar and weight.

    How large was the observed effect?

    LDL -7.5 mg/dL.

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Plant oil is a better daily cooking fat than ghee.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Open label; weight loss.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Contradicts 'ghee does not affect arteries' indirectly.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    Middle East; relevant to Egypt.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Cannot show fewer heart attacks.

    Scientific details →

  • Butter raises LDL cholesterol more than cheese with the same fat

    Pradeilles R et al.. Adv Nutr 2023 · PMID 37717700 · DOI 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.09.003
    Meta-analysisindependent cross-checkabstract checked

    LDL 0.19 mmol/L higher on butter than on cheese.

    Butter raises LDL relative to cheese with equal fat.

    Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: moderate · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Compare cheese fat with butter fat.

    How was the study done?

    Meta-analysis of RCTs.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    7 RCTs.

    What was actually found?

    Butter gave higher LDL.

    How large was the observed effect?

    LDL -0.19 mmol/L with cheese.

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Butter/ghee fat is not neutral for cholesterol.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Few, short trials.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Contradicts the claim.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    Applicable.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Cannot show heart events.

    Scientific details →

Studies with mixed or unclear results (2)

  • Butter at usual amounts: little link to heart disease

    Pimpin L et al.. PLoS One 2016 · PMID 27355649 · DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0158118
    Meta-analysisindependent cross-checkfull text, structured risk-of-bias assessment★ key study

    Per tablespoon/day: CVD RR 1.00; mortality RR 1.01.

    Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: moderate · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Butter and health.

    How was the study done?

    Meta-analysis.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    636,151 people.

    What was actually found?

    Small or neutral associations.

    How large was the observed effect?

    Mortality RR 1.01 per 14 g/d.

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Small amounts of butter are not a major risk.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Observational; only 4 cohorts for CVD, some adjusted for blood cholesterol (which can hide an effect via LDL); mostly modest intakes; ghee not studied.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Partly supports the claim.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    Moderate.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    That ghee or high butter intakes are safe for the arteries; authors rate unsaturated vegetable oils as healthier than butter.

    Scientific details →

  • New US dietary guidelines (2026) recommend dairy and olive oil, allow butter in limits

    U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Federal dietary guideline (PDF, realfood.gov; linked from dietaryguidelines.gov) 2026
    Guideline / position statementindependent cross-checkfull text checked★ key study

    Three servings of dairy a day, including milk and yogurt, for children and adults; olive oil first, butter as an option, saturated fat at most 10% of calories.

    Butter listed as an option, but olive oil prioritised and saturated fat capped at 10% of energy.

    Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: moderate · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Give official food advice for the US population.

    How was the study done?

    Government guideline document.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    Whole population.

    What was actually found?

    Dairy recommended at all ages; saturated fat limit kept; olive oil prioritised.

    How large was the observed effect?

    Not applicable.

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Milk, yogurt and cheese are all recommended; butter is allowed but not preferred.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Policy document; evidence review not read; contested changes.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Contradicts banning milk and yogurt; does not support unlimited ghee or butter.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    US; similar dairy advice exists in the UK (NHS).

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Cannot show health effects by itself.

    Scientific details →

Regional context

Germany / EU

WHO and European guidelines recommend limiting saturated fat (I-FAT-08).

Egypt

Ghee is traditional in Egyptian cooking; cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in Egypt (not quantified here).

What applies in my country?

General scientific assessment

Mostly false Saturated-fat-rich ghee and butter raise LDL cholesterol, which contributes to artery disease; moderate amounts are a small risk, but they are not harmless.

This statement concerns biological or medical relationships. The scientific assessment above applies regardless of the country; country-specific food data do not change it.

References

  1. Saturated Fats and Health: A Reassessment and Proposal for Food-Based Recommendations: JACC State-of-the-Art Review.. Astrup A et al.. J Am Coll Cardiol 2020 · PMID 32562735 · DOI 10.1016/j.jacc.2020.05.077
  2. Longitudinal association of dietary fat intake with cardiovascular events in a prospective cohort study in Eastern Mediterranean region.. Sadeghi M et al.. Int J Food Sci Nutr 2021 · PMID 33719857 · DOI 10.1080/09637486.2021.1895725
  3. Intake of saturated and trans unsaturated fatty acids and risk of all cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.. de Souza RJ et al.. BMJ 2015 · PMID 26268692 · DOI 10.1136/bmj.h3978
  4. Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease.. Hooper L et al.. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020 · PMID 32827219 · DOI 10.1002/14651858.CD011737.pub3
  5. Low-density lipoproteins cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. 1. Evidence from genetic, epidemiologic, and clinical studies. A consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Panel.. Ference BA et al.. Eur Heart J 2017 · PMID 28444290 · DOI 10.1093/eurheartj/ehx144
  6. Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline. World Health Organization. WHO guideline 2023
  7. Butter and Plant-Based Oils Intake and Mortality.. Zhang Y et al.. JAMA Intern Med 2025 · PMID 40048719 · DOI 10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.0205
  8. The effects of replacing ghee with rapeseed oil on liver steatosis and enzymes, lipid profile, insulin resistance and anthropometric measurements in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomised controlled clinical trial.. Maleki Sedgi F et al.. Br J Nutr 2024 · PMID 38501177 · DOI 10.1017/S0007114524000564
  9. Effect of Isoenergetic Substitution of Cheese with Other Dairy Products on Blood Lipid Markers in the Fasted and Postprandial State: An Updated and Extended Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials in Adults.. Pradeilles R et al.. Adv Nutr 2023 · PMID 37717700 · DOI 10.1016/j.advnut.2023.09.003
  10. Is Butter Back? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Butter Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, and Total Mortality.. Pimpin L et al.. PLoS One 2016 · PMID 27355649 · DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0158118
  11. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030. U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Federal dietary guideline (PDF, realfood.gov; linked from dietaryguidelines.gov) 2026

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