Your Fats

We often associate high-fat foods with bad health. However, a person needs certain fats to help maintain optimal health. Fats provide the body with energy and help it carry out a range of functions. It is essential to consume healthful fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and to be aware of saturated and trans fats. Healthful fats help with the following functions:

• cell growth

• blood clotting

• building new cells

• reducing the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes

• muscle movement

• balance blood sugar

• brain functioning

• mineral and vitamin absorption

• hormone production

• immune function

A person can find healthy fats in several foods, including:

• nuts

• fish, such as salmon, sardines and tuna

• some vegetable oils

• seeds

Most fatty foods contain a combination of fatty acids. As such, many foods do not contain just saturated or unsaturated fats, which can make it difficult for a person to eliminate only one type. But there is an understandable reason why nature intended to have it this way. Some research from 2014 and 2018 supported a higher intake of MCT saturated fats, such as from coconut oil. However, a comprehensive 2020 analysis found that coconut oil intake produces higher LDL levels than vegetable oils.

People with existing heart problems should speak to a doctor before adding new saturated fats to their diet.

*Please inform yourself about the importance of consuming organic oils from attested sources. Oils that have been produced, harvested, and stored properly. Still unsure? Contact me.

Saturated vs. Unsaturated Fats

Researchers have studied the health effects of saturated and unsaturated fats for decades. A 2017 scientific review reported an association between people who have heart disease or a risk of heart problems and those who consume higher amounts of saturated fats in their diet.

The researchers reported that saturated fats may increase levels of low-density lipoprotein or LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. Elevated LDL cholesterol in the blood may increase a person’s risk of heart disease.

In this study authors also reported that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat may also bring down the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, recent research has challenged the link between saturated fats and heart disease. A 2019 review did not record any significant effects of reducing saturated fat on people’s risk of heart disease. Trans fats, however, did increase the risk.

The jury is still out on saturated fat. While a diet containing too many saturated fats can increase body weight and the risk of CVD, it might not be as harmful as scientists once thought. In contrast, the health benefits of unsaturated fats are well-established.

The first evidence of their “heart-healthy” properties dates back to the 1960s. Researchers found that people from Greece and other Mediterranean regions had a low rate of heart disease compared to other locations despite consuming a relatively high-fat diet.

When I lived in Cyprus and some of the Greek islands, I got to know the culture behind it, I found out that fat isn’t the issue at all. Want to know more about this? Contact me.

Unsaturated fats help lower a person’s levels of LDL cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and build stronger cell membranes in the body. They may also help a person reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, according to a 2014 study.

The Three Fats

Saturated Fat

These fats have single bonds between their molecules and are “saturated” with hydrogen molecules. They tend to be solid at room temperature. Food sources that contain high levels of saturated fat include meat and dairy products, such as:

• cheese

• butter

• ice-cream

• high-fat cuts of meat

• coconut oil

• palm oil

A 2015 meta-analysis found that medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) might be the most healthful type of saturated fat. Coconut, for example, provides plenty of MCTs. You can get pure MCT oil.

Unsaturated Fat

Unsaturated fats contain one or more double or triple bonds between the molecules. These fats are liquid at room temperature in oil form. They also occur in solid foods. This group breaks down further into two categories, called monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

Dietary sources of unsaturated fats include:

• avocados and avocado oil

• olives and olive oil

• peanut butter and peanut oil

• vegetable oils, such as sunflower, corn, or canola

• fatty fish, such as salmon and mackerel

• nuts and seeds, such as almonds, peanuts, cashews, and sesame seeds

*Mediterranean diets are typically high in fat but have links to good heart health.

Trans fat

These fats take a liquid form that converts to solid fats during food processing techniques. Some meats and dairy products contain small amounts of trans fats, but they play a role in processed foods.

However, since 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken steps to eliminate partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), a significant source of trans fats, from processed food. Manufacturers had until the beginning of 2020 to stop adding PHOs to their food products. Examples of food products that may still contain trans fats include cookies, crackers, doughnuts, and fried foods. However, trans fats are becoming less and less present.

Sources

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/healthy-eating-you-age-know-your-food-groups

https://www.who.int/

https://www.helpguide.org/harvard/vitamins-and-minerals.htm

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sodium/how-much-

sodium-should-i-eat-per-day

https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/2015-2020_Dietary_Guidelines.pdf

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/interactivenutritionfactslabel/assets/InteractiveNFL

_Protein_March2020.pdf

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/196279#summary

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/food-nutrition/sodium-

reduced-targets-2020-2025.html