The Latest Studies on Butter, Meat, Seed Oils, Vitamin D and Low-Carb Diets
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🥩 Hello Meatlings,
There’s been a bunch of studies recently pertaining to food some higher quality than others. I’ve combined all of the ones I have come across in the section below.
My goal is to always keep you up to date on the latest nutrition science. Enjoy!
✌🏻and ribeyes,
Miranda Ebner MS, LN and The Yes2Meat Team
📰 News & 🔬 Research
🧈 Why that butter vs. oil study doesn't tell the whole story There’s been headlines claiming switching from butter to vegetable oils could cut your risk of dying by 17%… A recent JAMA Internal Medicine study following 220,000 health professionals has serious methodological problems. The researchers counted every use of butter as exactly 5 grams regardless of how it was used—whether on toast or for cooking a steak.
Despite their vastly different nutritional profiles and processing methods, they also treated all plant oils as identical. Perhaps most problematic was the "healthy user bias"—butter consumers in the study were twice as likely to smoke, exercised less, and had poorer overall diet quality. What's more, these findings directly contradict a comprehensive 2016 meta-analysis (the best way to review literature) of 9 cohort studies with over 636,000 participants that found butter had only a "small or neutral" association with mortality—just a 1% higher risk per tablespoon daily, essentially a null finding. High-quality butter from grass-fed cows provides beneficial nutrients like vitamin K2 and butyrate, while extra virgin olive oil offers well-documented benefits through its fatty acid profile and polyphenols. The quality of your overall diet matters far more than any single food choice.
🧠 Red meat and dementia: another flawed study gets headlines. This study was suggesting that eating small amounts of processed red meat raises your risk of dementia, and comes from the anti-meat Harvard research group. Dr. Zoë Harcombe PhD did a deep dive into the study about the apparent flaws, such as the difference in meat intake between comparison groups was tiny (just a few grams), and the definitions were a mess: processed meat included hot dogs with buns and condiments, while unprocessed meat covered burgers with fries. Also, due to healthy user bias, the so-called meat eaters smoked more, drank more, and exercised less. Most notably, there was no association between unprocessed red meat and dementia.
🛢️Omega-6s, seed oils, and increased breast cancer risk A new study in Science sheds light on a long-suspected link between omega-6 seed oils and cancer—specifically, triple-negative breast cancer. Researchers discovered that linoleic acid, the predominant omega-6 fat in industrial seed oils, activates a tumor growth pathway (mTORC1) by binding to FABP5, a protein in high levels in this cancer subtype. Mice fed a high-linoleic acid diet showed increased tumor growth, and the same markers were elevated in human samples from newly diagnosed patients.
While omega-6 fats are essential in small amounts, this study underscores how excess intake—especially from processed foods with soybean and sunflower oil—can tip the scale toward disease. Our omega-6 consumption has skyrocketed since the rise of seed oils in the 20th century, creating an evolutionary mismatch. These easiest way to minimize intake is to eat whole food fats (avocado, nuts/seeds, meat, dairy, EVOO) and read nutrition labels.
☀️ Vitamin D Helps Burn Fat & Grow Muscle, Study Finds. It was found in the mouse model that high-dose dietary vitamin D allocates excess calories to muscle and linear growth instead of storage as fat. That is, high dose vitamin D improves integration of organismal energy balance through hormone modulation: Vitamin D decreases myostatin production and increases leptin production and sensitivity. Obesity, aging and other chronic inflammatory diseases are associated with increased fat mass and decreased muscle mass and function (e.g. sarcopenia).
Their work provides a physiologic framework for how high-dose vitamin D would increase allocation of calories to muscle instead of fat in these pathologies. This result provides evidence to update the conventional energy store sensing model to a new energy balance sensing model. In the new proposed model, leptin and myostatin signaling integration allows control of body composition independent of weight. Ideal blood levels of 50-75 nmol/L are protective against cancer, autoimmunity and support bone health. My favorite is the Seeking Health Vitamin D3 + K2 5000 IU capsule that you can order here (and any of your other supplements) through my Fullscript account with a 15% discount.
🥩 Plant-based diets and brain health: we need animal protein too We’re still told that going plant-based the best choice for your brain. A new comprehensive study from Nutrients (2025) offers a more balanced view. Plant foods provide powerful brain protection through phytonutrients and antioxidants that directly reduce inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein.
The fiber also feeds gut bacteria, creating short-chain fatty acids that maintain blood-brain barrier integrity—a perfect example of the gut-brain axis in action. But there's a catch: plant-exclusive diets often lack nutrients essential for brain function, including B12, DHA, iron, and zinc, which can compromise cognitive function when deficient. Both plant and animal foods provide complementary benefits. Consider an ancestrally-aligned omnivorous approach that delivers anti-inflammatory benefits from plants while providing bioavailable nutrients in their most absorbable forms—exactly what our brains evolved to expect.
🥦 Low-carb diets get a bad rap, but science shows it’s effective A new peer-reviewed paper in Nutrients (2025) dismantles common misconceptions with solid evidence. The dreaded "keto flu" can be prevented with adequate sodium and minerals. Concerns about heart health? Multiple systematic reviews show no benefit to reducing saturated fat, and cardiovascular markers typically improve on low-carb diets, including triglycerides, fasted insulin and blood pressure.
For type 2 diabetes, this approach has "the most evidence" for glycemic control according to the American Diabetes Association, with studies showing over 50% of patients achieving remission in just 10 weeks. Other benefits of ketogenic/low carb diets: improved energy, reduced inflammation, and better digestive function. If you're struggling with metabolic issues, consider gradually reducing carbohydrates while increasing healthy fats and protein—many find this approach more sustainable than they expected.
🐠 DHA for smarter, more social kids A longitudinal study in the European Journal of Nutrition reveals that children who eat no seafood have 35% higher odds of suboptimal social behavior compared to those consuming two portions weekly. This benefit appears linked to DHA—an essential omega-3 fatty acid critical for brain development. Seafood also provides iodine, selenium, choline, and vitamin D, creating a nutrient package perfectly designed for developing brains.
Children with regular seafood consumption often demonstrate better focus and emotional regulation. Unfortunately, most kids consume far less than the recommended two weekly portions. Maple-Glazed dried salmon is tasty for kids (Epic Provisions) or Zero Sugar DHA gummies by Nordic Naturals also available on my Fullscript. Curious about your Omega 3, DHA or Vitamin D levels? You can check your levels with a convenient at home blood spot test.
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