All About Fats

Fats …What amount is right?There are many ideas out there regarding the amount of fat we should be eating in our diet. Should you go low fat, no fat, or just quit worrying about it and eat whatever sounds good? Well, I hope to give you some information that will help you decide on what’s best for you.

First of all, let me start by telling you that you need fat for many important functions such as:

• Setting up a layer of protection for the abdominal organs.
• It keeps you warm.
• Fat acts as fuel for the body providing 9 calories of energy per gram consumed.
• Fat absorbs and transports oil soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K. Remember Vitamins A & E are strong anticancer nutrients.
• Fat is a primary component of the myelin sheaths, which insulate nerve fibers. This is important to the transfer of information related to the nervous system.
• Fat is needed for cellular reproduction.
• Fat is the raw material for hormones in the body.

So you can see that an extremely low or completely no fat diet can be very detrimental to your health.

Let’s talk about the types of fats for a minute.

• Saturated fats have all their carbon atoms already bonded to hydrogen. These fats usually come from animal sources.
  • Associated with increasing cholesterol
  • Difficult to break down by the body
• Unsaturated fats
  • Help to carry excess hydrogen from the body.
  • They break down easier, therefore keeping the blood vessel walls clean and plaque free.
  • Most desirable to consume
• Hydrogenated fat
  • During the hydrogenation process, fat is heated to 248-410 degrees F. and combined with hydrogen. This high temp makes this type of fat hard to digest.
  • Excess hydrogen stiffens joints and actually deactivates some digestive enzymes and should therefore be avoided.
• The three main types of Essential fatty acids are:
  • Omega 3
    • Come from cold water fish, encapsulated fish oils and flax seeds
    • Are known for their blood thinning effect
    • Are noted to decrease high blood pressure.
    • Carry oxygen through the body, the blood and brain.
  • Omega 6
    • Tends to thicken the blood
    • Is the most common fat, and is usually over eaten in today’s diet.
  • Omega 9
    • Created in the body from omega 3 & 6 (should be a 1:1 ratio for proper production).

Which of the many fats should I cook with?

• Cold pressed or expeller pressed oils are best.
• I personally avoid canola oil. (I try to avoid all genetically modified foods)
• Do not cook with flax seed oil, borage or evening primrose oils. Heating changes their properties and makes them unhealthy.
• I use Grape seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, and organic butter most of the time.
• Olive, safflower, sunflower, grape and sesame oils all heat safely to low temperatures so are good choices for some cooking.

 

Sometimes it will be helpful to supplement your diet with fats. Here are my suggestions based on historical use:

• Evening primrose oil – High in Gama-Linolenic Acid. This Essential Fatty Acid is known for its ability to:
  • Decrease blood pressure
  • Reduce inflammation of the skin
  • Protect the heart
  • Improve brain function and nerve impulses (making it perfect for anyone with multiple sclerosis or ADD).
  • Among other things it also improves immune function
• Omega 3 –
  • Decreases LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while increasing desirable HDL cholesterol
  • Reduces blood pressure
  • Decreases clumping of blood cells on artery walls.
  • Improves conditions of fatty liver or kidneys
  • Regulates the heartbeat
  • Improves conditions of allergies, asthma, depression, infertility, menstrual cramping, migraine headaches and psoriasis.
• Flax seed oil –
  • Flax seeds are 55-58% alpha linolenic acid. This makes it’s content 2 times higher than fish oil.
  • This essential fatty acid (EFA) is not produced in the body. It is the precursor to prostaglandin production. (Prostaglandins are hormone like substances, which regulate the cellular processes in the body.) This is the precursor to PGE, which is very anti-inflammatory in nature.
  • Flax seeds nutritionally support the cardiovascular, immune and central nervous systems.
  • Deficiency symptoms include allergies, arthritis, heart disease, and various immune system disorders.
  • EFA have been studied to reduces the risk of, and slows the growth of breast cancer.
  • If I am looking for a fat to fill my EFA needs, I reach for flax seeds. Their balance is perfect for today’s high omega 6 & 9 diet because of the high omega 3 content.
  • Sources :
    • Freshly ground flax seeds. I use a coffee grinder to grind them as I need them.

Fat digestion – You may be eating enough but you may not be digesting it properly. Signs that you may not be digesting it are:

• Soreness in the trapezius muscle (That’s the one on the upper back of the shoulders).
• Dry skin, dandruff, hair falling out.
• Shoulder problems, difficultly raising arms above the head.
• A history of mouth sore or boils.
• Pain beneath the lower ribs.
• Inability to take a deep breath and hold it for at least 20 seconds.

Bile, which is made in the liver and stored in the gall bladder, is essential as step one in the break down of any fat. It is this process that takes the oily fat into its water soluble state. Only after this process can the enzyme lipase break down and utilize fats. If the fats are not digested properly they will be stored in the body contributing to obesity.

Organs especially involved in digestion of fats are the liver and pancreas. Weakness in these organs will cause the body to initially crave and eventually avoid important fats.

So…..How much is enough?

• Some noted authorities say 30% of diet about 100 grams daily is appropriate for the average person.
• Remember undigested, unused sugar turns to fat. This means that choices should be carefully made as to amount and types of fat consumed.. However, don’t be confused, the body does need the good fats that come from the diet.

• I suggest you start with the following and adjust it to your needs as needed:

  • Omega 3 fats like salmon, herring, anchovies or sardines are good twice per week. If the fish are not being eaten then fish oil capsules may be used.

  • Concentrate on eating several servings daily of monounsaturated omega 6 fats like vegetable oils, olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds.

  • Polyunsaturated omega 3 plant fats like flax seeds, walnuts or chia seeds should be eaten at least one serving daily. (non hydrogenated please)

  • Omega 9 fat is produced if omega 3 and 6 are present. The amount of oleic acid, found in olive oil, peanut oil and sunflower oil already being consumed in a healthy diet will provide adequate omega 9.

  • Saturated fat amounts will vary according to blood type, digestive ability and purity of the source. Generally speaking less than 8-10% of your fat intake should be saturated animal fats.

  • Remember undigested fat does not count.