Much Ado about Fat
Fat – trans fat, saturated fat, Omega 3 fatty acids, Cholesterol, – so much confusing information. Which fats should be avoided?
Active boomers and seniors are not the only ones who should be concerned about trans fats.
In recent years the buzz about the dangers of trans-fatty acids has sparked regulations including banning the use of trans-fats in the preparation of commercially prepared foods and restaurant foods. What exactly are trans-fats and what do we really need to know about the difference between good and bad fats?
Trans-fatty acids are formed when hydrogenation is used to convert fats such as vegetable oil into solid or semi-solid fats at room temperature – as is the case in most margarines and shortenings.
Converting the liquid oils into a solid form of fat extends the shelf-life of processed foods which are far cheaper to produce — the primary reasons for hydrogenating fats. The problem is that hydrogenated fats more closely resemble plastic in chemical composition than they do food and they have been linked to heart disease, and elevated cholesterol levels.
Unfortunately they are often confused with saturated fats and food labeling is often unclear. While avoiding processed foods is the surest way to avoid trans-fats, they are also in colorings, flavorings and preservatives. Next best is to subtract the saturated and unsaturated fats listed on the label from the total fat and the remainder will be trans-fats. In many countries, food labeling regulations allow manufactures of crackers, cookies, semi-soft ice cream, margarine, soy cheese, and other products to list vegetable oil without differentiating between vegetable oil that has been hydrogenated versus non-hydrogenated. Therefore vigilance may mean omitting any food that lists vegetable oil on the label.
Does that mean vegetable oils are to be avoided? Canola, safflower, corn, and soy oils are very reactive to oxygen and go rancid when heated. Once oxidized these fats cause free radical damage in our body.
Free radicals are cancer, heart disease, and diabetes risks. Therefore it is better to get these oils through consumption of the product not the oil. Sometimes compounds are added to manufactured foods in order to mask the smell of oil made rancid in the preparation process. Whether a food has been hydrogenated to prevent it from becoming rancid or covered by deodorizing compounds, it maybe better to leave it on the shelf. The best fats for prepared foods are butter, ghee, organic virgin coconut oil, organic beef tallow, and unrefined organic olive oil.
Saturated Fat is a misunderstood nutrient. While saturated fats have been blamed for heart disease, some forms of cancer and obesity, the statistics show that heart disease and cancer were rare prior to 1920 and since 1950 heart disease has became the major killer of North Americans. If animal fat consumption decreased 21% and the use of butter decreased more than 75% in the same period, and at the same time there was a 400% increase in the use of refined vegetable oils and in particular partially hydrogenated oils, it would seem that saturated fat isn’t the culprit.
For years we were told to eat refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils, all under the banner of healthy living; now we know these are disease causing. With the advent of high fructose corn syrup, and heavy promotion of vegetable oils as ‘heart healthy’ and the growing trend toward processed foods, it would be interesting to analyze what we really are consuming, without thought. Mary Enig, PhD, fats and oils researcher, and Sally Fallon wrote a book titled The Oiling of America, which is a serious reality check into the politics of advertising and the food industry.
Omega 6, Omega 3, Fatty Acids
Understanding fats is difficult because the animal fats we often think of as saturated fats are usually less than 50% saturated fats. Chicken fat is less than 30% saturated fat. Saturated fat is solid, hard and waxy. Beef tallow, the most saturated animal fat is 50% saturated consisting of 25% palmitic acid, 22% stearic acid and 40% monounsaturated fatty acids (mainly oleic acid – the main fatty acid in olive oil). The balance of the fats in beef tallow are linoleic and linolenic acids and the ratio is determined by the diet of the cattle.
We need saturated fatty acids to maintain our cellular structure. Cell membranes are comprised of phospholipids and cholesterol. These chemicals act as enzymes and hormone regulators in cell messaging. Trans-fats interfere with the messaging of the cells. Saturated fats also help our bodies move calcium to our bones, boost immune function, build a healthy nervous system and benefit the digestive tract. The body needs adequate cholesterol for hormones such as vitamin D, cortisol, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone to work correctly. It also helps with bile acid formation necessary for the digestion of fats. Fats are necessary to carry vitamins A, E, D, K, and if our diet is lacking saturated fats, these nutrients will not be absorbed even if they are consumed.
The beneficial omega 3 fatty acids cannot be absorbed if there are inadequate saturated fats in the diet. Saturated fats in the small intestine help with the secretion of hormones that prevent hunger contractions. Going too far in eliminating saturated fats from the diet can result in weight loss attempts being thwarted because dieters will add carbohydrates in an attempt to deal with hunger.
Saturated fatty acids can be short-chain, medium-chain and long-chain depending on the number of carbon molecules. Short and medium chain fats, are used for energy and do not turn into body fat unless consumed in large quantities. For example a pound of coconut oil has far fewer calories than a pound of butter. Organic meats and butter, ghee, coconut oil, or cold pressed olive oil are better fat choices, as they are less likely to go rancid when heated.
Pay attention to the ratio of fat, protein, and carbohydrates, as appropriate for your body type. Get adequate omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids as they are not produced by our body. Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are necessary for many hormonal functions such as prostaglandins, thromboxanes, eicosanoids and leukotrienes which have widespread hormonal functions in the body. Omega 6 is available in meat that has been grain fed.
The ratio between Omega 6 to Omega 3 should be about 4 to 1. Some people consume a ratio of 20-1 which can result in inflammation, blood clotting, high blood pressure, and other health risks. Omega 3’s are found in flax seed, organic walnuts, and organic unrefined flax oil. Grass fed meats have higher levels of Omega 3’s than do grain fed meats. Fatty fish, such as wild salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sable fish, oysters, shrimp, eel, roe and cod liver oil are good sources of Omega 3’s.
Overall, fats are a complex subject and learning a few new facts and implementing them in to your dietary practices each week or month is the best solution. Change is easier if you do it in steps. Understanding each change you make enables you to continue new habits.
Improved health takes time and if we look at it as overwhelming and unachievable, it will be beyond our reach. A visit to a nutritionist or naturopath to discuss your eating and cooking habits can help you acquire new skills that will add up to a significant health improvement over time. It takes a minimum of three months for change to occur at the cellular level even if you do not deviate from your new healthier regime.
