What Do You Know About Fats?

Group: HealthyNetworker

Written by Rick Lelchuk on Mar 15, 2009 3:22 pm

Read More: Leadership | Personal Development

You know you're fat when.....

No, no, no. No fat jokes here. Being fat is not funny. However, knowing about fat in your diet is essential for your health and well being.

Many people hold onto the belief that a no fat or low fat diet is healthy. The truth is our bodies need healthy fats to function optimally.

During the 1940’s, researchers found a strong correlation between cancer and the consumption of fat—the fats used were hydrogenated fats although the results were presented as though the culprit were saturated fats!

In 1956 we began to be encouraged to limit fats—that all fat is bad. We were encouraged to eat polyunsaturated fats (most often already gone rancid by the high temperatures used to extract them) and to avoid saturated fats like coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil as well as the healthy fats from antibiotic free, pasture raised animals.

But...

Fats from animal and vegetable sources provide a concentrated source of energy.
Fats provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormone and hormone-like substances.
Fats slow down nutrient absorption when eaten with a meal.
Fats act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K
Fats are needed for conversion of carotene to Vitamin A.
Fats are needed for mineral absorption.

Let's Play Good Fat, Bad Fat

There are different kinds of fats. Some are good and some are bad. Do you know the differences? Ready? Here we go!

Saturated Fatty Acids

A hydrogen atom occupies all available carbon bonds. In other words, picture a chain link. All of the links of the chain are filled (saturated) with hydrogen.
Highly stable (can cook with them), because all the carbon-atom links are filled with hydrogen.
Do not go rancid. (Do not spoil easily).
Solid or semisolid at room temperature (pack together easily because the structure of the molecules is straight).
Your body needs saturated fats and makes them from carbohydrates.
Found mostly in animal fats and tropical oils (Coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil).
- Coconut oil has anti-fungal and anti-viral properties, and because of the molecular structure it is only used for energy and cannot be stored as fat.
- When choosing fat from animals, the animals should be antibiotic free, hormone free, pasture raised animals.

“The claim that saturated fats lead to heart disease is simply false. This claim was initiated as a marketing tool to sell oils and margarine (in competition to butter, lard and tallow). Eventually the idea became dogma as it was repeated year after year.” Mary Enig, Ph.D., Know Your Fats

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids

Lack two hydrogen atoms. Picture a chain link again. Now, most of the links are filled but two of them are not. This causes a bend or kink in the link where the two links are empty.
Relatively stable.
Liquid at room temperature. (They do not pack together easily because of the kinks in the chain).
Your body makes them from saturated fatty acids.
Found in olive oil, almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts and avocados

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

Lack 4 or more hydrogen atoms. Picture the chain link again. Now 4 or more of the links are empty.
Not stable. Go rancid and spoil easily.
Liquid, even when refrigerated (They do not pack together because of the kinks in the chain.)
Should never be used in cooking.
Omega 6 and Omega 3 (Your body cannot make Omega 3's so they are “essential” to get from your diet.)
Found in legumes, grains, nuts, green vegetables, fish, olive oil and animal fats. These types are good in small amounts. Also found in commercial vegetable oils (corn, soy, safflower and canola) which are harmful to your health because of high heat extraction process and tendency to rancidity.

Hydrogenated Fatty Acids (Trans Fats)

Highly prevalent in American diet today.
Cause an imbalance in Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio (Should be 3:1; often times 20:1).
Red blood cells are less capable of carrying insulin when trans-fats are consumed.
Natural trans-fats can be found in antelope, cow, deer, goat and sheep. These are not the same as man-made trans-fats and are acceptable to consume.

Read what the manufacturer does to create the trans fats and you'll understand why they are so bad for the human body.

The following quote is taken from Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon:

“(Hydrogenation) is the process that turns polyunsaturates, normally liquid at room temperature, into fats that are solid at room temperature…margarine and shortening. To produce them, manufacturers begin with the cheapest oils—soy, corn, cottonseed or canola, already rancid from the extraction process—and mix them with tiny metal particles—usually nickel oxide. The oil with its nickel catalyst is then subjected to hydrogen gas in a high-pressure, high-temperature reactor. Net, soap-like emulsifiers and starch are squeezed into the mixture to give it a better consistency; the oil is yet again subjected to high temperatures when it is steam-cleaned. This removes its unpleasant odor. Margarine’s natural color, an unappetizing gray, is removed by bleach. Dyes and strong flavors must then be added to make it resemble butter. Finally, the mixture is compressed and packaged in blocks or tubs and sold as a health food… Most of these man-made trans fats are toxins to the body, but unfortunately your digestive system does not recognize them as such. Instead of eliminating them, your body incorporates trans fats into the cell membranes and your cells become partially hydrogenated!”

Obesity in the United States began to rise in the 1970's in correlation to the introduction of the low or no fat diets. America gets Supersized for the wrong reason!

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Health, United States, 2006, Figure 13. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey