As promised, here is a summary of good fats and bad fats and the health benefits of good dietary fats. Dietary fat is not the evil
macronutrient that people once thought. The important factor is the type of fat you consume. Good dietary fat has countless health
benefits, some of which are:
- Absorption of fat soluble
vitamins.
- Absorption of omega 3 essential fatty acids.
- Healthy skin.
- Healthy vision.
- Improved blood cholesterol levels.
- Improved blood glucose control.
- Improved brain health.
- Improved heart health.
- Improved liver health.
- Improved lung health.
- Optimal nervous system.
- Reduced cancer risk.
- Reduced heart disease risk.
- Reduced inflammation.
- Reduced PMS symptoms.
- Strong cell walls.
- Strong bones.
- Strong immune system.
- They are a good source of fat soluble vitamins.
- They can help you burn fat
The Good Guys:
Coconut Oil - An extremely healthful, saturated fat
Butter (especially from grass-fed cows’ milk) - Another healthful, saturated fat
Olive Oil (only cold-pressed, or extra virgin – “Light”
olive oil has been chemically processed to remove the remaining oil after the
cold-pressed oil has been removed)
Nut Oils (Walnut, Macadamia, Palm – Not Peanut Oil)
Sesame Seed Oil
Palm Oil
Grapeseed Oil – Has a high smoke point so it works well for sautéing and baking. (An oil’s smoke
point is the temperature at which it begins to smoke. When it does,
disease-causing carcinogens and free radicals are released, so you never want
to heat your oil to that point.)
Nuts
Seeds
Olives
Avocado
Fish Oil - Best source of Omega 3 fatty acids - vital for good health
BENEFITS
OF SATURATED FATS:
Saturated fats are not the cause of our modern
diseases. On the contrary, they play a vital role in our body chemistry:
1. Saturated fatty acids make up at least 50% of
the cell membranes. They are what create our cells necessary stiffness and
integrity.
2.
Saturated fat is necessary for calcium absorption into the bones. For calcium
to be effectively incorporated into the skeletal structure, at least 50% of our
dietary fats should be saturated.
3. They guard the liver from the harmful effects
of medicines, alcohol and other toxins.
4. They improve the function of the immune system.
5.
Adequate intake of saturated fat helps raise HDL (good cholesterol) and lower
levels of lipoprotein, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
6. Saturated fats have antimicrobial properties,
which protect us against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.
7.
Saturated fats contribute to strong lungs. The lungs are coated with a slippery
substance made up of saturated fats.
When the body has inadequate saturated fats, it has to replace this
coating with other fats, which causes breathing difficulties, such as asthma.
8. The
brain is made up of fats and cholesterol, mainly saturated fat. A diet low in
saturated fats deprives the brain of the building blocks in needs for proper
repair and function.
9. Nerve Communication - Certain saturated fats, particularly those
found in butter, lard, coconut oil, and palm oil, function directly as
signaling messengers that influence the metabolism, including such critical
jobs as the appropriate release of insulin.
With insulin resistance and metabolic
syndrome reaching near epidemic levels, the importance of dietary fat for this
role alone can’t be overstated.
The Bad Guys:
Corn, Soybean and Other
Vegetable Oils, such as Sunflower, Safflower and Margarines that are made from
these oils - These oils, the so-called “healthy polyunsaturated oils,”
should not be used. These oils are
primarily polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) that your body doesn’t know how to use. They are wholly unnatural fats, sources of incredible
loads of omega-6 fatty acids, which most people already take in too much of. So your body uses these oils to make you fat and weaken your immune system. Also, these unstable
oils are highly sensitive to oxidation and rancidity, so much so that in the
process of making them the oil actually goes rancid! Food manufacturers then have to deodorize and
bleach the oils to make them palatable to consumers. Unlike butter
or coconut oil, these vegetable oils can’t be extracted just by pressing or
separating naturally. They must be chemically removed, deodorized and altered.
These are some of the most chemically altered foods in our diets, yet they get
promoted as “heart-healthy.”
Hydrogenated
or Partially-Hydrogenated Oils & Trans-Fats - Adding hydrogen and
pressure to liquid vegetable oils creates a semi-solid fat. This changes the
chemical composition of the original unsaturated oils and turns them into trans
fatty acids, also known as trans fats or hydrogenated oils. These trans fats are associated with diseases
such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and dementia.
Canola Oil – Very highly processed using petroleum
solvents, acids, chemicals and deodorizing processes to make a palatable oil
Peanut Oil -
Same as Vegetable Oils, explained above
Flax Seed Oil – Primarily because it goes rancid
quickly and cannot be subjected to heat
If you're interested in a very good read on the history of the "fat phobia" craze in America and the truth behind it, I recommend the article by Gary Taubes - "What If It's All Been A Big Fat Lie?"
