Is Saturated Fat Bad For You? Part 2
In my previous post I discussed a bit of research which I hope provided you with some useful information and that it wasn’t too long or boring.
Not everyone is going to agree with what I have written, and it isn’t my intention to make people change the way they think or live; I’m simply providing facts from my own research and the research provided by other likeminded people. It’s up to you as an individual to decide what you think is best for your own health.
If fats are good for me, then why am I told to reduce my intake to help lose weight?
While it is generally acknowledged that saturated fat isn’t the only determining factor in the cause of heart disease, it is still generally conceded that too much of any fat is bad for you. But too much of a lot of things is bad for you.
One of the main reasons why it is recommended that you reduce your intake of fat is because of the high calorie content compared to carbohydrates. Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, whereas fats contain 9 calories per gram. If you still think there is any truth in the calories in/calories out method then read this post to dispel that ridiculous notion.
For weight loss (80 per cent of which will result from diet, 20 per cent from exercise) obviously what you eat is important. But don’t trick yourself into thinking you can simply cut high calorie foods and exercise a little more to get the results you want. What you need to consider is how your body uses the energy you consume.
As I mentioned in my previously, fats and proteins are used by the body in a number of ways besides providing energy. Protein builds muscle and repairs cells, while fats insulate neurons and provide carriers for non-water-soluble vitamins. Carbohydrates on the other hand provide the fastest form of energy (glucose), but it is also the form of energy which is easiest to store in the body as fat when we eat too much of it. The body doesn’t need it for anything other than energy, so when the liver can process the excess it gets stored as fat. Mark Sisson wrote a great post about this here.
OK, so which fats should I eat?
Being able to ignore popular press and marketing tactics which promote low-fat, sugar replaced concoctions and low cholesterol options is all well and good, but it’s also important to know a bit about the chemistry of fats and why the medical establishment is so adamant about lowering your dietary intake of this nasty, fattening, illness inducing substance.
Fats (fatty acids or lipids) are classified as organic substances which are not soluble in water. Fats are made up of hydrogen and carbon bonds, and most of the fat in our body is in the form of triglycerides (three fatty acid chains attached to a glycerol molecule).
Fatty acids are classified as follows:
Saturated
Saturated fatty acids (SFAs) are highly stable fats which are generally solid at room temperature due to the straight nature of the carbon bonds – they pack together easily. Fats are saturated when all the available carbon bonds are occupied or saturated by a hydrogen atom which prevents the fat from going rancid. These fats (found in animal products like butter and lard, and tropical oils such as coconut oil) can withstand very high temperatures without going rancid, so they are perfect for cooking. Saturated fat is also formed in the body from too much carbohydrates. As I have mentioned previously, saturated fats provide lasting energy and are essential for a number of bodily functions.
Monounsaturated
Monounsaturated fatty acids lack two hydrogen atoms, and instead have one double bond in the form of two carbon atoms bonded to each other. These fats remain liquid at room temperature due to a kink in the double bond; however they are still relatively stable. Your body makes monounsaturated fatty acids from saturated fatty acids and uses them for bodily functions. Most commonly found in foods as oleic acid, (main component of olive oil) these fats do not go rancid easily so they are OK for cooking. This fatty acid can also be found in fruits and nuts such as avocados, almonds, pecans, and macadamias.
Polyunsaturated
Polyunsaturated fatty acids lack four or more hydrogen atoms and have two or more pairs of double carbon bonds. These fatty acids remain liquid even when refrigerated and are highly reactive due to unpaired electrons at the double bonds. They will go rancid easily so they should never be heated or used for cooking. Heating polyunsaturated fats turns them into trans fats which can result in free radicals when the body tries to break the fat down.
Two polyunsaturated fatty acids which are found most commonly in foods are double-unsaturated linoleic acid, with two double bonds (omega-6), and triple unsaturated linolenic acid with three double bonds (omega-3). The omega number is an indication of the position of the first double bond.) These fats are referred to as essential fatty acids or EFA’s because your body doesn’t make them naturally, so you generally need to get them from foods.
Conventional or politically correct nutritionists claim that polyunsaturated fatty acids like vegetable oils and margarines are a healthier option over saturated and monounsaturated fats and will reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. It is generally recommended by conventional nutritionists that thirty percent of total calories in modern diets come from polyunsaturated fats. However evidence indicates that these fats should only constitute about 4 percent of total calories. An ideal ratio is 4:1 up to 1:1 of omega 6 to omega 3. These EFA’s are typically found in foods like walnuts, flax seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and fatty fish like salmon, tuna and sardines.
Despite what conventional nutritionists claim, when polyunsaturated fats become oxidised or rancid from being heated or oxygenised they are characterised as free radicals (single atoms with unpaired electrons in outer orbit). Free radicals are extremely reactive and are known to attack cell membranes and red blood cells, which can lead to damage in DNA/RNA, triggering mutations in tissues, skin and blood vessels. Ultimately free radicals can be a precursor of tumours and damage in blood vessels leading to plaque build up.
So which fats should I eat, and which should I avoid?
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Good Fats |
Fats to avoid |
Saturated Fats:
Monounsaturated Fats:
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Polyunsaturated Fats:
Trans Fats:
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Why is margarine bad for me?
I heard recently that a dietician of a friend of mine claims there really isn’t much difference between butter and margarine. I couldn’t believe my ears! Studies have actually shown that flies don’t even recognise margarine as food! So I thought I would add this description of how margarine is made so you can decide for yourself.
Polyunsaturated fats, usually liquid at room temperature are turned into fats that are solid at room temp (margarine) by first using the cheapest oils available – corn, soy, cottonseed or canola. These fats, generally already rancid from the extraction process (as stated earlier, very high heat will cause unsaturated fats to go rancid), are mixed with tiny metal particles like nickel oxide, then subjected to hydrogen gas in a high temperature, high pressure reactor to solidify the liquid fat.
After this process, soap like emulsifiers and starch are added to the mix to help form a butter-like consistency. The mix is once again subjected to high pressure when it is “steam-cleaned” to remove the unpleasant odour.
The natural colour of margarine is a very unappetising grey. So the mixture is bleached (no harm in that…) and finally dyes and flavours are added as a finishing touch so it ends up resembling butter, or something that at least looks edible.
Are you sure polyunsaturated oils and margarines are still better for you…?
Sources:
Naurishing Traditions – Sally Fallon
Good Calories, Bad Calories – Gary Taubes
Original images: