The Disadvantages of Consuming Too Much Dietary Fat

My previous articles on dietary fat have discussed the various types and came to the conclusion that numerous health benefits can be enjoyed if you make saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat part of your diet.  However, like so many other foods with potential health benefits, consuming too much can be bad for you.  In this article I am going to be discussing the disadvantages of overindulging on dietary fats.

1) WEIGHT GAIN:- One of the main differences between dietary fat and the other two macronutrients (carbohydrates and protein) is the number of calories.  Dietary fat contains nine calories per gram whilst carbohydrates and protein contain just four calories per gram.  Therefore, overindulging on dietary fat can lead to rapid weight gain and ultimately obesity.  Weight gain has a number of associated, negative side effects which include circulation problems, diabetes and joint problems.

2) INCREASED LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (LDL) CHOLESTEROL LEVELS:- Saturated fat increases levels of both high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.  LDL cholesterol clogs your artery walls which can lead to organ damage and heart disease.  HDL cholesterol scrapes LDL cholesterol from your artery walls and helps remove it from your body.  Whilst saturated fat does have many health benefits and is not the bad fat that many people believe, consuming too much can cause a build up of LDL cholesterol in your body which leads to the unwanted symptoms discussed above.

3) THINNING BLOOD:- Overdosing on omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) can cause your blood to thin.  This can cause excessive bleeding and make you bruise more easily than normal.  It can also cause problems for people who suffer from conditions that are affected by blood such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

4) INCREASED BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS:- Some evidence suggests that eating high levels of omega 3 EFAs can increase blood glucose levels in people suffering from type 2 diabetes.  This can lead to a number of negative diabetic symptoms.

5) INTERFERENCE WITH OMEGA 3 EFAS:- Eating excessive amounts of omega 6 EFAs can stop your body using omega 3 EFAs properly.  This can negate many of the benefits linked with their consumption.

6) INCREASED CANCER RISK:- Consuming high levels of omega 6 EFAs has been linked with certain types of cancer.  In particular it is thought to increase people’s risk of developing both breast cancer and prostate cancer.

7) DEPRESSION:- Some research has linked high levels of omega 6 EFAs in the brain with depression.

HEART DISEASE:- Eating too many omega 6 EFAs can lead to blood clots.  These clots restrict the flow of blood to the heart and can ultimately cause heart attacks.

9) INFLAMMATION:- One of the benefits of omega 3 EFAs is that they prevent inflammation.  However, as discussed above overconsumption of omega 6 EFAs negates these benefits and therefore increases inflammation in your body.

Like with the other macronutrients when it comes to dietary fats balance is the key.  They are essential for good health but too much can be damaging to your body.  So by all means make eggs, oily fish and olive oil part of your diet.  Just make sure this is not done at the expense of carbohydrates and protein.

What do you guys think?  Do you know of any further negative side effects linked to excess dietary fat consumption?  Do you agree that dietary fat should be eaten in moderation?  Leave a comment and let me know.

3 Healthy Christmas Dinner Desserts

When it comes to festive desserts mince pies and Christmas pudding are almost always on the menu.  Whilst both are tasty, traditional treats they are also high in calories and refined sugar plus they often contain dangerous trans fats.  So this year why not try and add some healthy options to your Christmas dessert menu by using the three suggestions I have provided below?

1) FRUIT SALAD:- Fruit salad is a simple, healthy dessert choice.  All you need is a selection of your favourite fresh fruit and some fruit juice.  Once you have your ingredients chop the fruit, put it in a large bowl and pour in the juice.  To finish place the bowl in your fridge overnight so that the juices can soak into the fruit.  The health benefits of fruit salads depend upon the fruits you choose but almost all types are rich in fibre and a selection of vitamins.  Fibre promotes good bowel health and improved blood sugar control whilst vitamins help your body perform a number of vital functions.  Plus, since most fruits are rich in fibre and water they are a low calorie alternative to other desserts.

2) NATURAL FRUIT SMOOTHIES:- Fruit smoothies are a fantastic alternative to fruit salads that offer similar health benefits and give your dessert that unique twist.  To create your own fruit smoothies you need a blender, a selection of your favourite fruits, some fresh fruit juice and some milk.  To prepare you simply add all the ingredients to a blender, blend and pour.  If you are struggling for smoothie ideas then you should check out FlowerCarole.com which contains over 350 natural smoothie recipes.

3) NATURAL YOGURT WITH BLUEBERRIES:- Natural yoghurt contains high levels of the B vitamins, calcium, potassium and protein.  Natural yoghurt’s health benefits include supporting strong bones and strengthening your immune system.  Although natural yoghurt does contain some refined sugar it contains much lower levels than most other dessert options.

Mixing the natural yoghurt with blueberries adds some natural sweetness to the dish plus some fibre and vitamin C.  The health benefits of blueberries include improved brain health, promoting healthy vision, protection from certain cancers (including colon cancer and ovarian cancer) and protection from damaging free radicals.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and mince pies.  However, by offering the alternatives discussed above you can get the best of both worlds and provide your guests with a choice of healthy and traditional Christmas desserts.

Sources:
FlowerCarole.com
World Health Foods

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8 Healthy Christmas Dinner Ideas

Christmas dinner is normally filled with tasty treats.  Roast potatoes, stuffing and thick gravy are all regular fixtures in this festive meal.  Whilst these are delicious foods they are often rich in calories and low in nutrients.  That is why today I am providing you with eight healthy Christmas dinner ideas.

1) BEEF:- When it comes to the Christmas roast, turkey is by far the most popular choice.  However,  if you fancy something a little different this year I highly recommend a nice succulent joint of beef.  In recent years people have avoided red meats because of their relatively high saturated fat content but evidence suggests they may not be as bad as people think.  In fact saturated fats have a number of health benefits that other fats cannot provide.  They improve the health of your brain, liver and lungs, help your body absorb essential fatty acids, promote strong bones, support your immune system and can actually lower your heart disease risk.  Beef is also rich in B vitamins, iron, phosphorous, protein, selenium and zinc which can help protect against colon cancer and osteoporosis (reduced bone density).

Timing is everything when roasting beef.  When cooked to perfection a beef joint can be just as tender as turkey.  However, overcooked beef is chewy and difficult to eat.  Delia Online has a great guide to getting your roast just right so if you decide to go with beef this year you should check it out.

2) CARROT MASH:- Mashed carrots offer a lower calorie, more nutrient rich alternative to mashed potatoes.  They are rich in fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K.  The main health benefit of carrots is that they support strong vision and strong night vision through their extremely high vitamin A content.  They also promote good colon and lung health plus they can help keep your blood glucose levels under control.

3) GREEN BEANS:- Green beens are a nutrient filled powerhouse.  They are rich in calcium, copper, fibre, iron, manganese, phosphorous, potassium vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B9, vitamin C and vitamin K.  Green beans are a great vegetable for Christmas dinner as they add some texture to the meal.  Their main health benefits include improved calcium absorption, reduced heart disease risk and a stronger immune system.

4) HOMEMADE GRAVY:- Gravy is a key fixture in most Christmas dinners.  However, most people go for the easy option and use gravy mixes which are often high in calories and salt.  Making your own gravy is relatively simple and gives you full control over the ingredients.  Whilst homemade gravy is not exactly a healthy food it is a much healthier, lower calorie alternative to packaged gravy mixes.

To make your own gravy you will need stock, pan drippings (from the meat you are cooking) and some flour or cornstarch (to add thickness).  You may also want to throw in some salt, pepper, herbs or spices to give your gravy that little extra kick.  To begin put the stock and pan drippings into a saucepan.  Then slowly heat the saucepan until the mix is simmering.  Next add the flour or cornstarch to the saucepan one spoon at a time and whisk the mixture until the desired thickness is achieved.  For more detailed gravy recipes check out this post from the Healthy Eats blog.

5) MUSHROOMS:- Mushrooms are not a typical Christmas vegetable but they are very nutritious and go well with most roasted meats.  They contain high levels of multiple B vitamins, fibre, potassium, selenium and zinc.  Mushrooms have multiple health benefits which include protecting your body’s cells from free radicals, supporting a strong immune system and reducing your risk of developing certain types of cancer (including breast cancer and colon cancer).

6) PEAS:- Peas are nutrient packed little pods.  They contain high levels of copper, fibre, iron, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, vitamin A, multiple B vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin K.  The health benefits of peas include keeping your bones strong, keeping your heart healthy, reducing your risk for a variety of cancers and supporting energy producing cells of your body.

7) ROASTED PARSNIPS:- Roasted parsnips are a nutrient packed, low calorie alternative to the festive favourite roast potatoes.  They are rich in copper, fibre (particularly soluble fibre), manganese, magnesium, multiple B vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin K.  The particularly high soluble fibre content in parsnips means that they can improve improve your absorption of vitamins and minerals, improve blood glucose control in your body and lower your risk of heart disease.

TURKEY:- As I mentioned above turkey is the traditional choice when it comes to the Christmas roast.  Not only is it traditional but nutritionally it is a very good choice too.  Turkey contains high levels of protein, phosphorous, selenium, tryptophan, vitamin B3 and vitamin B6.  Turkey offers multiple health benefits for your body with vitamin B3 and B6 supporting both heart health and energy production whilst selenium offers strong cancer protection.

As you can see, healthy eating does not have to go out of the window just because it’s Christmas day.  Try adding some of the above foods to your Christmas meal this year and you can enjoy food that is both tasty and nutritious.

Sources:
How To Roast Beef (Delia Online)
Make your own Gravy (Healthy Eats Blog)
World Health Foods

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4 Healthy Christmas Dinner Starters

When it comes to Christmas dinner healthy eating is usually the last thing on people’s mind.  However, with a little thought and preparation you can start the meal in a healthy way whilst still enjoying the foods you eat.  That is why today I am giving you a list of four healthy Christmas dinner starters.

1) HOMEMADE SOUP:- Soup is a popular starter to many meals and Christmas dinner is no exception.  However, the problem is most people go for canned soup which often contain high levels of sodium and are full of chemicals.  Fortunately, this problem can be solved by making your own soup.  Making your own soup is not as difficult as you might imagine and ensures that it contains only natural ingredients.  By using natural meats and vegetables you can create a healthy starter that is rich in fibre, protein and vitamins all of which help your body function properly.

To make your own soup you first need to create a stock.  Next you prepare the additional ingredients.  Then you combine the stock with the additional ingredients, simmer (usually for about 20 to 30 minutes) and your soup is ready.  Unfortunately, I do not have any homemade soup recipes on this blog but I have found an excellent resource for you.  Healthy Eating Made Easy explains how to prepare both chicken and vegetable stock and has 13 homemade soup recipes that use just natural ingredients.

2) MELON:- Melon is another popular choice when it comes to starters.  It is also one of the healthier choices being rich in vitamin A, the B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E and the antioxidant lycopene.  Together these ingredients help protect your body from damaging free radicals (harmful substances that are a by-product of reactions with oxygen).  Lycopene has also been shown to protect your body from a variety of cancers including breast cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer.

3) SALAD:- Salad is probably the most popular stereotype for a healthy meal.  However, there is a lot of truth in this stereotype.  Salads are rich in natural ingredients and are generally low in calories.  The health benefits of salads depends on the ingredients you use but most salads contain high levels of fibre, vitamins and minerals which all support optimal health.

Salads are even easier to make than homemade soups because there is little to no cooking involved.    In most cases you just throw some fresh ingredients together, make a simple olive oil dressing and the salad is ready to go.  If you fancy having salad as a starter this Christmas then you should check out Salad-Recipes.co.uk which has a fantastic selection of recipes to choose from.

4) SMOKED SALMON:- Smoked salmon is a great source of omega 3 essential fatty acids, magnesium, phosphorous, protein, selenium, vitamin B3, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.  Since it comes ready to eat smoked salmon is a very simple starter that can be served directly on a plate.  The main health benefits of salmon come from the omega 3 essential fatty acids which promote improved brain health, protect you from certain cancers (including ovarian cancer and prostate cancer), protect your from heart disease, reduce inflammation and support healthy vision.

Healthy eating and Christmas dinner can go hand in hand.  So why not start your meal the right way and give one of the above suggestions a try this year?

Sources:
Healthy Soup Recipes (Healthy Eating Made Easy)
Salad-Recipes.co.uk
World Health Foods

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20 Health Benefits of Dietary Fat

In my last few articles I have been focussing on dietary fats.  Until recently dietary fats were seen as the macronutrient to avoid.  They have been associated with heart disease, obesity and many other negative health conditions.  However, this common perception of dietary fats could not be further from the truth.  With the exception of trans fats, dietary fats support your body in performing many vital functions, offer protection for your cells and promote optimal health.  In this article I want to expand on this topic further and provide you with a comprehensive list of the many benefits of dietary fat.

SATURATED FAT BENEFITS

Saturated fat is still seen by many as a ‘bad’ fat.  It has been strongly linked with clogging the arteries and significantly increasing your chances of developing heart disease.  The reason for this dates back to the 1940s.  Around this time hydrogenated trans fats were created by vegetable oil manufacturers.  Before the 1940s saturated fats were a regular fixture in most people’s diets.  Vegetable oil manufacturers wanted to promote their new creation and so pushed hydrogenated trans fats as a healthy alternative to saturated fats.  They backed their claims up with flawed research and were successful in reducing consumption of saturated fats whilst increasing consumption of hydrogenated trans fats.

More recently the flaws in this research have been revealed.  Recent studies have linked hydrogenated trans fats (and not saturated fats) with cancer and heart disease.  These studies have also revealed that hydrogenated trans fats have no nutritional benefit.  Furthermore, the benefits of many benefits of saturated fats have now started to be realised.  These benefits include:

1) ABSORPTION OF OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS:- Elongated omega 3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat found in fish, dairy products and eggs.  Although they are not a saturated fat, the presence of saturated fat in the diet helps your body absorb them more effectively.

2) IMPROVED BRAIN HEALTH:- Approximately two thirds of your brain is constructed cholesterol and fat.  About half of these brain fats are saturated.  Therefore, consuming saturated fats supports optimal brain health.

3) IMPROVED HEART HEALTH:- When your heart is stressed it uses the saturated fats palmitic acid and stearic acid.  Therefore, saturated fats can improve your heart health during times of stress.

4) IMPROVED LIVER HEALTH:- Saturated fats can protect your liver from harmful substances including alcohol and medications.  It has also been shown to reverse liver damage and remove fat from the liver.

5) IMPROVED LUNG HEALTH:- Saturated fats help your body produce a substance called lung surfactant which helps them function properly.  Not getting enough saturated fat in your diet can cause faulty lung surfactant to be produced.  This can damage your lungs and lead to breathing problems.

6) OPTIMAL NERVOUS SYSTEM:- Some types of saturated fat act as nervous system messengers.  They have an important influence over functions such as digestion and insulin release.  Failure to consume enough saturated fat means that these functions are not performed properly.

7) REDUCED HEART DISEASE RISK:- Contrary to popular belief, saturated fat can actually lower your risk of developing heart disease.  Consuming saturated fat lowers blood levels of a substance called lipoprotein (a).  The presence of lipoprotein (a) is a strong risk factor for heart disease so by consuming saturated fat you can decrease this risk.

STRONG CELL WALLS:- Saturated fats give your cell walls their rigid structure.  In fact 50% of  your cell walls are constructed from saturated fats.  Not only do saturated fats keep your cell walls structured but they also offer protection from external materials.

9) STRONG BONES:- Saturated fat helps your body absorb calcium properly.  Calcium supports strong bones and also reduces the chances of you developing osteoporosis (reduced bone density).

10) STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM:- Certain types of saturated fat help your body produce strong white blood cells.  Myristic acid (found in butter) and lauric acid (found in milk) are two such fats which ensure that you produce strong white blood cells and have a strong immune system.

MONOUNSATURATED FAT BENEFITS

Monounsaturated fat has not received nearly as much negative press as saturated fat.  This is largely down to the Mediterranean diet which has given huge publicity to the benefits of monounsaturated fat which include:

1) IMPROVED BLOOD CHOLESTEROL LEVELS:- There are two main types of cholesterol; low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL).  LDL cholesterol has been linked with heart disease, high blood pressure and organ damage.  HDL cholesterol collects LDL cholesterol from the blood and transports it to the liver where it is processed and excreted.  Monounsaturated fats help lower blood levels of LDL cholesterol and increase blood levels of HDL cholesterol.  This helps keeps your vital organs and blood vessels healthy.

2) IMPROVED BLOOD GLUCOSE CONTROL:- Monounsaturated fats contain a substance called aidponectin which enhances your cell’s ability to absorb glucose.  Monounsaturated fats also increase your cell’s insulin sensitivity which allows them to take glucose from the blood effectively.

3) REDUCED CANCER RISK:- Multiple sources link monounsaturated fats (particularly those found in olive oil) with cancer prevention.  In particular these monounsaturated fats are thought to protect you from breast cancer and colon cancer.

4) REDUCED INFLAMMATION:- Monounsaturated fats interfere with leukotrienes (naturally produced molecules that contribute to inflammation) and therefore actively reduce inflammation in the body.

5) THEY ARE A GOOD SOURCE OF FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS:- Foods that contain monounsaturated fats are often a rich source of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.  Monounsaturated fats also help you absorb these vitamins effectively.  Fat soluble vitamins have various health benefits which include supporting healthy vision, helping your body clot and protecting your cells from dangerous free radicals.

6) THEY CAN HELP YOU BURN FAT:- Research suggests that monounsaturated fats can help you burn fat and prevent the build up of fat around the center of your body.

OMEGA 3 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID BENEFITS

Omega 3 fatty acids are one of the main types of polyunsaturated fat.  They have many health benefits which include:

1) ABSORPTION OF FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS:- Whilst monounsaturated fats are a good source of fat soluble vitamins, omega 3 essential fatty acids help you fully absorb these vitamins.

2) HEALTHY VISION:- Omega 3 essential fatty acids are used by your body to produce retinal tissue.  Therefore, consuming omega 3 essential fatty acids helps keep your vision strong.  Contrastingly, not consuming enough can lead to problems with your vision.

3) IMPROVED BRAIN HEALTH:- Omega 3 essential fatty acids support brain health in a different way to saturated fats.  They have been linked with protection from Alzheimer’s disease (a condition that destroys your brain cells).  They also support the production of cell membranes and signal pathways in your brain.

4) REDUCED CANCER RISK:- Like monounsaturated fats, omega 3 essential fatty acids can help protect you from various cancers including breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer.

5) REDUCED HEART DISEASE RISK:- Like saturated fats, omega 3 essential fatty acids also reduce your heart disease risk.  They do this by lowering blood triglyceride levels, lowering blood pressure and removing fatty plaques from your artery walls.

6) REDUCED INFLAMMATION:- Like monounsaturated fats, omega 3 essential fatty acids also help reduce inflammation.  This is particularly good news for sufferers of arthritis, asthma and eczema as omega 3 essential fatty acids can reduce the inflammatory pain associated with these conditions.

OMEGA 6 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID BENEFITS

Omega 6 essential fatty acids are the other type main type of polyunsaturated fat.  Their health benefits include:

1) HEALTHY SKIN:- Omega 6 essential fatty acids are a key ingredient in the formation of healthy skin cells.  They have also been shown to help with skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema.

2) REDUCED PRE-MENSTRUAL (PMS) SYMPTOMS:- Research has shown that omega 6 essential fatty acids can relieve both bloating and breast tenderness that are often products of PMS.

3) STRONG BONES:- Like saturated fat, omega 6 essential fatty acids help your body absorb calcium.  Therefore omega 6 essential fatty acids support strong bones and protect you from bone damaging conditions such as osteoporosis.

DIETARY FAT BENEFITS SUMMARY

As you can see dietary fat is not the evil macronutrient that people once thought.  I hope this article has showed you just how important an addition to your diet it can be.  Dietary fat has countless health benefits and I have listed a massive 20 in this article.  Just to recap those benefits 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.

What do you guys think about dietary fat?  Is it a significant part of your diet?  Are there any benefits I have missed.  Leave a comment and let me know.

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If you want to enjoy the benefits that dietary fats provide you need to start adding them to your diet.  The Mediterranean Diet ebook is an 84 page guide to this diet providing you with recipes, a food pyramid and more.

What are Trans Fats?

In my recent articles I have been discussing dietary fats.  So far I have covered the three naturally occurring types of fat which are saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.  Today I am going to cover the fourth and final type of fat – the man made trans fat.

WHAT ARE TRANS FATS?

All fats are made from a combination of carbon and hydrogen atoms.  The two main types are saturated fats and unsaturated fats (which can be broken down further into monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats).  With saturated fats all the carbon atoms are bonded to (or ’saturated’ with) hydrogen atoms.  With unsaturated fats there are some double bonds between the carbon atoms so they are not fully saturated (or they are ‘unsaturated’) with hydrogen atoms.  Monounsaturated fats have just one double carbon bond whilst polyunsaturated fats have two or more.

Trans fats (or trans fatty acids) are a type of unsaturated fat.  The double carbon bond on most naturally occurring unsaturated fats is arranged in a cis formation which means the hydrogen atoms are all on the same side of the bond.  However, with trans fats the double carbon bond is arranged in a trans formation which means the hydrogen atoms are on opposite sides of the bond.

Trans fats have a higher melting point than cis unsaturated fats and are generally solid at room temperature.  The majority of trans fats are artificially created through a process called hydrogenation although there is a naturally occurring form called vaccenic acid:

- Hydrogenated Trans Fats:- These types of trans fats are man made through a process called hydrogenation.  Hydrogenation removes a double carbon bond from naturally occurring cis unsaturated fats and replaces it with a hydrogen atom. So in other words the process of hydrogenation artificially creates trans fats by making cis unsaturated fats more saturated.  Hydrogenated trans fats have a much longer shelf life than other types of fats hence the reason they are often added to processed foods.

- Vaccenic Acid:- This type of trans fat is found naturally in very small amounts in certain meat and dairy products.  It can also be sourced from human milk.

WHICH FOODS CONTAIN TRANS FATS?

Although trans fats can be sourced naturally from certain foods the vast majority are added to foods in their unnatural hydrogenated form.  This means that trans fats are largely found in processed products.  Some examples of foods containing trans fats are listed below:
- Baked foods such as cookies and doughnuts.
- Fast foods such as burgers and fries.
- Frozen foods such as pies and pizza.
- Margarine.
- Packaged processed foods such as biscuits and cakes.

ARE TRANS FATS HEALTHY?

As I have discussed in previous blog posts dietary fat is often given an unwarranted bad reputation.  Saturated fats have been blamed for many health ailments including cancer and heart disease.  Even naturally occurring monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats were perceived negatively until very recently.  However, research has now come to the defence of dietary fat and revealed that they actually have a number of health benefits.

Unfortunately, the majority of trans fats do not share these health benefits.  Whilst the naturally occurring vaccenic acid has been linked with reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity, hydrogenated trans fats have no reported health benefits.  In fact they can be damaging to your health.

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH RISKS OF TRANS FATS?

1) INCREASED HEART DISEASE RISK:- Multiple studies have highlighted the link between heart disease and trans fats.  The most significant of these is a paper published by Dr Hu and his colleagues.  Hu followed 120,000 nurses from 1976 till 1990 and investigated 900 coronary events that occurred during that time.  He concluded that every 2% increase in trans fats consumed doubled your heart disease risk.

Another study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2006 estimated that trans fats caused between 30,000 and 100,000 cardiac deaths in the United States each year.  The results also showed that trans fats increased your risk for heart disease more than any other macronutrient on a calorie for calorie level.

2) POOR BLOOD CHOLESTEROL LEVELS:- There are two types of cholesterol; low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL).  LDL cholesterol builds up on your blood vessel walls and can lead to a number of problems in your body including heart disease, high blood pressure and organ damage.  HDL cholesterol collects LDL cholesterol from the blood and transfers it to the kidneys where it is processed and excreted.

The different types of fat have different effects on your cholesterol levels.  Saturated fats increase levels of both LDL and HDL cholesterol.  Unsaturated fats reduce LDL cholesterol levels whilst increasing HDL cholesterol levels.  Trans fats increase LDL cholesterol levels whilst lowering HDL cholesterol levels.  This means that by consuming trans fats you are most at risk of the negative symptoms linked to LDL cholesterol consumption.

3) INCREASED ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE RISK:- A study from the Archives of Neurology published in February 2003 suggests that trans fats could be linked to Alzheimer’s disease.  The study looked at the dietary habits of 815 people aged 65 and over who were unaffected by Alzheimer’s when the study began and then followed up with these same people 3.9 years later.

3) INCREASED CANCER RISK:- In recent years a number of studies have highlighted the link between trans fats and cancer.  A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in April 2008 concluded that consumption of trans fats could lead to breast cancer.  The study followed 25,000 women between 1995 and 1998.  The results showed that women with the highest levels of trans fats in their blood were twice as likely to develop breast cancer as those with the lowest levels of trans fats in their blood.

Another study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in August 2008 concluded that trans fats could increase colon cancer risk.  This study looked at the dietary habits of 622 people who had colonoscopies between 2001 and 2002.  It revealed that people who consumed high levels of trans fats (6.5g or more daily) were 86% more likely to develop colon polyps (which can then go on to develop into cancerous tumours) than those who consumed lower levels of trans fats.

HOW CAN I REDUCE THE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH TRANS FATS?

As I discussed above hydrogenated trans fats are artificially created and found in processed goods.  Therefore, the best way to avoid the health risks associated with this fat type is to reduce your intake of processed goods and instead get your fats from natural sources.  Where possible avoid packaged goods.  When you do eat them look out for phrases such as “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” and “vegetable shortening” as these are both hydrogenated trans fats.

Instead of packaged goods try to eat foods that are as close to their natural form as possible.  Some of the best natural sources of dietary fat are fresh meat, fresh fish, eggs and olive oil.  Natural fats have a number of fantastic health benefits that I have discussed in previous articles so by replacing unnatural trans fats with these natural fats you can enjoy all the fantastic health benefits whilst avoiding the risks.

TRANS FATS SUMMARY

Unlike the other types of dietary fat, hydrogenated trans fats have no reported health benefits and provide no nutritional value.  They are used by food manufacturers as a cheap way to extend the shelf life of processed foods.  I hope this article has helped you realise the health risks of trans fats and encouraged you to reduce your consumption.

Now I want some feedback from you.  Did you know about the dangers of trans fats already?  Are there any health risks I have missed.  Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Sources:
Dietary Fat and the Risk of Incident Alzheimer Disease (Archives of Neurology)
Natural Trans Fats Have Health Benefits (Science Daily)
Top 10 Foods with Trans Fats (Organic-Coconut-Oil.com)
Trans Fats (Natural Health Information Center)
Trans Fats, Heart Disease Risk: ‘Strong Link’ (Web MD)
Trans Fats Linked To Breast Cancer Risk In Study (BreastCancer.org)

What is Polyunsaturated Fat?

Recently I have been taking an in-depth look at dietary fats.  So far I have covered saturated fats and monounsaturated fats.  Today I am going to be looking at polyunsaturated fats in greater detail.

WHAT IS POLYUNSATURATED FAT?

Fats are all made from a chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms.  With saturated fats all the carbon atoms are bonded to hydrogen atoms.  With unsaturated fats there are one or more double bonds between the carbon atoms which prevent them from being fully bonded to hydrogen atoms.  So in other words saturated fats are ’saturated’ with hydrogen atoms whilst unsaturated fats are not fully saturated with hydrogen atoms so they are ‘unsaturated’.

There are two main types of unsaturated fat; monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.  Monounsaturated fats have just one double carbon bond hence the name ‘mono’ which means one.  Polyunsaturated fats have two or more double carbon bonds hence the name ‘poly’ which means many.

Polyunsaturated fats have a very low melting point and stay liquid at room temperature.  There are two main types which each have a double carbon bond in different positions:

- Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids:- Omega 3s have a double carbon bond 3 carbons away from the methyl group at the end.

- Omega 6 Essential Fatty Acids:- Omega 6s have a double carbon bond 6 carbons away from the methyl group at the end.

WHICH FOODS CONTAIN POLYUNSATURATED FATS?

Polyunsaturated fats can be sourced from various foods.  Unlike other fats, polyunsaturated fats are essential fatty acids (EFAs).  This means they cannot be produced by your body and must be sourced from food.  Below are some examples of the best dietary sources of omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids.

1) OMEGA 3 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS:

- Cold water fish such as anchovies, herring and salmon.
- Dairy products such as cheese and milk from grass fed cows.
- Eggs.
- Flaxseed oil.
- Meats such as grass fed beef and lamb.

2) OMEGA 6 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS:

- Nuts.
- Oils such as corn oil, soybean oil and sunflower seed oil.
- Wholemeal products such as bread and cereal.

ARE POLYUNSATURATED FATS HEALTHY?

Until recently dietary fat was seen as the least healthy of the macronutrients.  Carbohydrates were seen as the body’s preferred energy source whilst protein was seen as the body’s building blocks.  However, dietary fat was negatively associated with increased body fat levels.

More recently research has suggested that dietary fat actually has a number of health benefits.  Polyunsaturated fats are no exception to this.  The omega 3 essential fatty acids found in this type of fat have been linked with improved brain health, reduced risk of cancer, reduced risk of heart disease and more.  The omega 6 essential fatty acids found in this type of fat also have multiple health benefits such as strong bones and healthy skin.

However, the research on polyunsaturated fats is not all good.  Other studies suggest that excess consumption of omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids can lead to a number of complications.  Below I will be outlining both the benefits and risks associated with polyunsaturated fat consumption.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF POLYUNSATURATED FATS?

OMEGA 3 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID BENEFITS:

1) IMPROVED BRAIN HEALTH:- Omega 3 essential fatty acids can improve brain health in a number of ways.  Research suggests that they can protect you from Alzheimer’s disease (a disease that destroys your brain cells).  They are also used by your brain to produce cell membranes, signal pathways and other neurological systems.

2) HEALTHY VISION:- Omega 3 essential fatty acids are used to build retinal tissue and therefore support healthy vision.  Failure to consume adequate levels can lead to vision problems.

3) ABSORPTION OF FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS:- Omega 3 essential fatty acids are required for the proper absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K.  These fat soluble vitamins have a number of health benefits which include assisting in the absorption of essential minerals, helping your blood clot, providing protection from damaging free radicals and supporting healthy vision.

4) REDUCED RISK OF HEART DISEASE:- Omega 3 essential fatty acids can reduce blood triglyceride (a type of fat linked with heart disease) levels.  They can also prevent blood clots and reduce the growth rate of fatty plaques on the arteries which both help lower your risk of heart disease.

5) REDUCED INFLAMMATION:- Omega 3 essential fatty acids are linked with reduced inflammation and can minimise the pain associated with conditions such as arthritis, asthma and eczema.

6) REDUCED CANCER RISK:- A number of studies have linked consumption of omega 3 essential fatty acids with a reduced risk of contracting cancer.  In particular they have been linked with a lower risk of breast cancer, colon cancer,  prostate cancer.

OMEGA 6 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID BENEFITS:

1) STRONG BONES:- Consumption of omega 6 essential fatty acids enhances your body’s ability to absorb calcium (a mineral that strengthens your bones and teeth).  Not consuming enough has been linked with bone loss and osteoporosis (a condition where your bone density is reduced).

2) HEALTHY SKIN:- Omega 6 essential fatty acids play a key role in the formation of healthy skin cell membranes.  It has also been linked with relieving certain skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis.

3) REDUCED PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME (PMS) SYMPTOMS:- Omega 6 essential fatty acids are linked with reducing a number of symptoms associated with PMS.  Research has shown they can relieve bloating and breast tenderness.

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH RISKS OF POLYUNSATURATED FAT?

OMEGA 3 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID HEALTH RISKS:

1) BLOOD THINNING:- Consuming high levels of omega 3 essential fatty acids can make your blood thin.  This can lead to a number of problems including abnormal bleeding and excessive bruising.

2) ELEVATED BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS:- Some research suggests that omega 3 essential fatty acids can raise blood glucose levels which can cause problems for people who suffer from diabetes.

OMEGA 6 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID HEALTH RISKS:

1) INTERFERENCE WITH OMEGA 3 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS:- Consuming too much omega 6 essential fatty acid prevents your body from breaking down omega 3 essential fatty acids properly.  This means that excess consumption negates all the benefits associated with consuming omega 3 essential fatty acids.

2) INCREASED CANCER RISK:- Whilst consumption of omega 3 essential fatty acids is linked with a lower cancer risk, eating too much omega 6 essential fatty acid can contrastingly increase your cancer risk.  Research suggests that omega 6 essential fatty acids stimulate the growth of both breast cancer and prostate cancer cells.

3) DEPRESSION:- Research has linked high levels of omega 6 essential fatty acids in the brain with depression.

4) INCREASED HEART DISEASE RISK:- Whilst omega 3 essential fatty acids can help prevent internal blood clots, excess consumption of omega 6 essential fatty acids does the opposite.  These blood clots prevent blood from getting to the heart and can ultimately lead to heart attacks.

5) EXCESSIVE INFLAMMATION:- As discussed above omega 3 essential fatty acids help lower inflammation in the body.  However, eating too many omega 6 essential fatty acids undoes this good work and causes excessive inflammation.  High levels of inflammation can lead to much more serious health conditions such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

HOW CAN I ENJOY THE BENEFITS AND AVOID THE RISKS?

Polyunsaturated fats are essential for good health.  However, you can get too much of a good thing.  The health risks associated with polyunsaturated fats are caused by excessive consumption.  In particular, the health risks linked to omega 6 essential fatty acids are caused by consuming too much of this fat type in comparison to omega 3 essential fatty acids.

Fortunately, these health risks can be avoided by simply making the right dietary choices.  Our modern diets generally contain extremely high levels of omega 6 essential fatty acids and relatively low levels of omega 3 essential fatty acids.  By choosing foods that address this balance you can avoid all the health risks whilst enjoying the benefits.

Therefore, where possible avoid processed foods as these contain high levels of omega 6 essential fatty acids and low levels of omega 3 essential fatty acids.  Also make sure that fish is a regular part of your diet as this is one of the richest natural sources of omega 3 essential fatty acids.  Finally, stop using vegetable oils and products that contain vegetable oils.  Not only do these add high levels of omega 6 essential fatty acids to your diet but they are not shelf stable and quickly go rancid when exposed to light or oxygen.

POLYUNSATURATED FATS SUMMARY

Like so many things in life the key to polyunsaturated fats is balance.  If you make sure that you consume relatively equal amounts of omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids you can ensure that your body is operating optimally.

Now I want to hear from you guys.  Is your polyunsaturated fat intake relatively balanced?  Are there any benefits I have missed?  Let me know by leaving a comment.

Sources:
Benefits of Omega 3
Omega 6 Benefits
Polyunsaturated Fats (Wikipedia)
Polyunsaturated Fat and Dieting (AnneCollins.com)
The Potential Health Risks of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (Omega3FattyAcids.co.uk)

What is Monounsaturated Fat?

In my recent articles I have been focussing on dietary fat.  Today I want to discuss monounsaturated fat in a little bit more detail.

WHAT IS MONOUNSATURATED FAT?

All fats are constructed from a chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms.  The way these atoms are chemically bonded together decides which type of fat it will be.  With monounsaturated fats (also known as monounsaturated fatty acids or MUFAs) the carbon atoms are bonded to hydrogen atoms at all but one point.  At this one point there is a double bond between two of the carbon atoms.  So in other words the carbon atoms are not fully saturated with hydrogen atoms (so they are ‘unsaturated’) but only at one point (hence the name ‘mono’).

Monounsaturated fats have a lower melting point than saturated fats but a higher melting point than polyunsaturated fats.  There are various types of monounsaturated fats.  Each type has a different numbers of carbon atoms and the double carbon bond is in different positions.  Some examples of monounsaturated fats include:

- Cis-Vaccenic Acid:- This contains 18 carbon atoms and the first double carbon bond occurs 7 carbon atoms away from the methyl group at the end.

- Oleic Acid:- This contains 18 carbon atoms and the first double carbon bond occurs 9 carbon atoms away from the methyl group at the end.

- Palmitoleic Acid:- This contains 16 carbon atoms and the first double carbon bond occurs 7 carbon atoms away from the methyl group at the end.

WHICH FOODS CONTAIN MONOUNSATURATED FAT?

Monounsaturated fats can be found in nuts, oils and vegetables.  No food contains only monosaturated fat but the examples below are rich sources:
- Avocados.
- Nuts such as almonds, brazil nuts and cashew nuts.
- Oils such as olive oil and rapeseed oil.
- Rapeseed Oil.
- Seeds such as pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds.

IS MONOUNSATURATED HEALTHY?

Fat is often seen as the bad guy when it comes to the three macronutrients.  Whilst people generally accept carbohydrates are needed for energy and protein is needed to build and maintain your body’s cells, nobody seems to accept that dietary fat has an important role in the body.  Instead dietary it is often seen as the macronutrient to avoid with low fat diets and low fat foods proving extremely popular in recent years.

The truth is that there are many types of dietary fat.  Some are good for you whilst others are not so good for you.  Monounsaturated fat is one of the healthy fats and has a number of benefits.  Recently, these benefits have started to gain recognition with the Mediterranean diet and the healthy properties of olive oil gaining huge publicity.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MONOUNSATURATED FAT?

1) IMPROVED BLOOD CHOLESTEROL LEVELS:- There are two main types of cholesterol; low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL).  LDL cholesterol can cause blockages in your artery walls and restrict the flow of blood through them.  This can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure and organ damage.  HDL cholesterol helps remove LDL cholesterol from your body and therefore reduces the associated risks.  Studies suggest that consuming monounsaturated fats can reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol.  This helps keep your heart and organs healthy whilst keeping your blood pressure stable.

2) THEY ARE A GOOD SOURCE OF FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS:- Foods that are high in monounsaturated fat are often a good source of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.  A certain amount of monounsaturated fats also need to be present in the diet so that these vitamins can be properly absorbed.  Fat soluble vitamins have numerous health benefits.  They support healthy vision, help your body absorb essential minerals (including calcium and phosphorous), help your blood clot and give your cells protection from oxidative damage.

3) THEY CAN HELP YOU BURN BODY FAT:- According to this article consuming monounsaturated fats can prevent central body fat distribution.  It can also increase the overall amount of fat that your body burns.

4) IMPROVED BLOOD GLUCOSE CONTROL:- Monounsaturated fats can help stabilise your blood glucose levels in two ways.  First, they contain a substance called adiponectin which improves your cell’s ability to absorb glucose from the blood.  Secondly, they improve your cell’s sensitivity to insulin (a hormone that allows your body’s cells to take glucose from the blood).  This is particularly good news for diabetics who struggle to keep their blood glucose levels under control.

5) REDUCED INFLAMMATION:- Eating monounsaturated fats reduces inflammation by interfering with leukotrienes (naturally produced molecules that contribute to inflammation).  This is particularly beneficial to arthritis sufferers as it can reduce the pain and stiffness associated with this condition.

6) REDUCED CANCER RISK:- Monounsaturated fats that are sourced from olive oil can protect you from a variety of cancers including breast cancer and colon cancer.  It is thought that the flavonoids, polyphenols and squalene found in olive oil all help protect you from the above types of cancer.

MONOUNSATURATED FAT SUMMARY

Monounsaturated fat is now almost universally accepted as healthy and with the above benefits it is not hard to see why.  It has a huge protective capacity and also assists your body with many important processes.  If you do not currently eat many foods containing monounsaturated fats then now is the time to make the change.  Try using some olive oil next time you cook a meal or try substituting one of your regular snacks with a portion of nuts.  Your body will thank you for it.

What do you guys think?  Are you a fan of monounsaturated fats?  Have I missed any of the benefits?  Leave a comment and let me know.

Sources:
Food for Thought: What is a Monounsaturated Fat? (KitchenStewardship.com)
Health Benefits of Monounsaturated Fats (Hubpages)
Monounsaturated Dietary Fats & Oils: Sources, Diet Benefits (AnneCollins.com)
Monounsaturated Fat (Wikipedia)
Monounsaturated Fats (Super Foods and Weight Loss)
Monounsaturated Fats & Weight Loss (eHow.com)
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs) (Suite101.com)
What are the Health Benefits of Monounsaturated Fats? (eHow.com)

What is Saturated Fat?

In one of my previous articles I discussed the four types of dietary fat.  One of the main conclusions from that article was that saturated fat may not actually be as bad for you as many people believe.  In fact recent research suggests it could actually be quite healthy.  Today I am going to explore this topic in more detail and take an in depth look at saturated fat.

WHAT IS SATURATED FAT?

All fats are made from combinations of carbon and hydrogen atoms.  The type of chemical bond between these carbon and hydrogen atoms determines the type of fat.  Saturated fats (also known as saturated fatty acids or SAFAs) are those where all the carbon atoms are bonded to hydrogen atoms and there are no double bonds between carbon atoms.  So in other words the carbon atoms are ’saturated’ with hydrogen atoms.

Saturated fats have the highest melting point of all the natural fats and are solid at room temperature.  There are many different types which each have varying levels of carbon atoms.  Propionic acid has the lowest number of carbon atoms (containing just 3) whilst hexatriacontanoic acid has the largest number of carbon atoms (containing 36).  Other saturated fats include lauric acid which contains 12 carbon atoms, myristic acid which contains which contains 14 carbon atoms, palmitic acid which contains 16 carbon atoms and stearic acid which contains 18 carbon atoms.

WHICH FOODS CONTAIN SATURATED FAT?

Saturated fat is found mainly in animal products.  Although no food contains purely saturated fat some of the following examples are high in it:
- Avocado.
- Coconut.
- Dairy products such as butter, cheese and eggs.
- Oils such as cocoa butter, coconut oil, hydrogenated vegetable oild and palm oil.
- Red meats such as beef, lamb and pork.

IS SATURATED FAT HEALTHY?

A lot of sources paint saturated fat in a bad light.  Doctors, health organisations and the media all say that we should try to eat less saturated fat and instead get our fats from unsaturated sources.  The theory is that saturated fats increases both HDL (high density lipoprotein) and LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels.  LDL cholesterol builds up in your artery walls, clogs them up and restricts the flow of blood through them.  This can then lead to organ damage, high blood pressure and increase your risk of heart disease.  HDL cholesterol is much more beneficial to your health and helps remove LDL cholesterol from your body.  However, since saturated fat increases your overall cholesterol levels it is often linked with an increased heart disease risk and therefore moderate consumption is advised.

The above theory is based on a 1950’s research study from Ancel Keys which proposed that there was a direct relationship between saturated fat in the diet and heart disease risk.  Closer inspection of Ancel’s study reveals that it has a number of flaws.  First, it only looked at a small sample of countries.  Secondly, it did not consider the effect any other negative lifestyle factors could have on heart disease.

Despite these flaws Ancel’s research received a huge amount of publicity from vegetable oil producers.  Around this time they had developed hydrogenated trans fats which allowed their products to be stabilised during long journeys.  These hydrogenated trans fats could also be solidified and promoted as alternatives to butter and lard.  Ancel’s research was a perfect marketing tool for these products and this led to the vegetable oil companies funding further flawed research which linked saturated fat consumption to heart disease.

As a result of this negative press people started to change their dietary habits.  Instead of consuming saturated fats they started to consume hydrogenated trans fats such as margarine and vegetable oil which were marketed to the public as a healthy alternative.  However, shortly after this change in dietary habits rates of cancer and heart disease (health conditions that were extremely rare before the 1940s) started to rise rapidly.  Saturated fats continued to be blamed for this relatively recent increase in cancer and heart disease despite the fact that people have eaten them for thousands of years but only started to eat hydrogenated trans fats since the 1930s (around the same time that cancer and heart disease started to become more prevalent).

More recently research has come to the defence of saturated fat and actually revealed that it has a number of benefits.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SATURATED FAT?

1) REDUCED RISK OF HEART DISEASE:- As discussed above consumption of saturated fat is often associated with an increased risk of heart disease.  However, it may actually have the opposite effect.  Eating saturated fats lowers blood levels of lipoprotein (a), a substance that is linked with heart disease.

2) STRONG CELL WALLS:- 50% of your cell walls are made from saturated fats.  They give your cells walls structure and offer protection from unwanted outside materials.

3) STRONG BONES:- Consuming saturated fat is essential for the proper absorption of calcium by the bones.  Some sources recommend as much as 50% of your dietary fat intake should come from saturated sources so effectively absorb calcium.

4) STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM:- Myristic acid and lauric acid (two types of saturated fat found in butter and coconut oil) can both help keep your immune system strong.  Without sufficient supplies of these two saturated fatty acids your white blood cells struggle to identify and fight bacteria, fungi and viruses.

5) ABSORPTION OF ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS:- Elongated omega 3 fatty acids are absorbed and retained in your body’s tissues more easily when your diet is rich in saturated fats.

6) HELPING YOUR HEART DEAL WITH STRESS:- When handling stress your heart uses the saturated fats palmitic acid and stearic acid.

7) IMPROVED LIVER HEALTH:- Saturated fats protect your liver from alcohol and toxic medications.  They have even been shown to reverse liver damage after it has occurred.  Saturated fats also help clear fat from the liver which helps it perform more effectively.

IMPROVED LUNG HEALTH:- To function optimally the airspaces of the lungs need to be covered in a substance called lung surfactant that is comprised entirely of saturated fats.  Not eating enough saturated fat can lead to the production of faulty lung surfactant which ultimately causes lung damage and breathing disorders.

9) IMPROVED BRAIN HEALTH:- Your brain is made largely from fat and cholesterol and about half of this fat is saturated.  Failure to consume enough saturated fats can prevent your brain from functioning optimally.

10) PROPER FUNCTIONING OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM:- Certain saturated fats act as messengers in your body.  They assist with vital functions such as digestion and the release of insulin.  Not eating enough saturated fats means that these messages do not get transmitted and these vital functions do not get performed properly.

SATURATED FAT SUMMARY

As you can see saturated fat is not as bad as we are often led to believe.  In fact consuming the right levels can be very beneficial to your body.  That does not mean you should go out and eat a block of butter or eat as many beef burgers as you can manage.  However, it does mean that you should make saturated fat part of your diet.  If you want to have some butter with your food go for it and when selecting your meats make sure you have a mixture of red and white.  All these foods are essential for good health and should be included as part of a well balanced diet.

Now I want to hear from you guys.  What is your opinion on saturated fats?  Has this article changed your outlook?  Do you disagree with it?  Let me know by commenting on this blog post.

Sources:
7 Reasons to Eat More Saturated Fat (4 Hour Work Week Blog)
Foods High in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol (Discovery Health)
Is Saturated Fat Bad For You (Truth About Six Pack Abs)
Saturated Fat (Wikipedia)
Saturated Fats.  The Cause of Heart Disease or the Answer to the Problem? (Natural Health Information Center)
The Benefits of Saturated Fats (Article Base)
The Truth About Saturated Fats (Health Report)

What is Dietary Fat?

In the past I discussed the two macronutrients carbohydrates and protein in detail.  Today I want to complete my write up of the three macronutrients and provide an introduction to dietary fat.

WHAT IS DIETARY FAT?

Dietary fat is probably the media’s least popular macronutrient.  Everywhere you look people are being advised to consume less fat, buy low fat products or even avoid fat completely.  However, despite this negative perception dietary fat is an essential part of your diet.  It supplies your body with essential fatty acids (EFAs), provides energy, helps your body absorb certain vitamins, helps your body grow and supports a strong immune system.

Dietary fat contains more than double the calories of the other macronutrients with nine calories per gram compared with carbohydrates and protein which both contain four calories per gram. It is constructed from a combination of carbon and hydrogen atoms which are chemically bonded together. The structure of this chemical bond determines the type of dietary fat it will be.

HOW MANY DIETARY FATS ARE THERE?

There are four main types of dietary fat although each of these can be broken down further. Although certain foods may be referred to as a source of saturated fat or a source of trans fats it is never really that simple. Most fat sources are a combination of two or more fat types. For example, whilst olive oil is often referred to as a source of monounsaturated fat it also contains smaller levels of polyunsaturated and saturated fats.

1) SATURATED FATS (SATURATED FATTY ACIDS) (SAFAs):- Saturated fat are those where all the carbon atoms are bonded to hydrogen atoms i.e. they are saturated with hydrogen.  They are found mainly in animal products such as meat, butter, cheese and cream.  Saturated fats have the highest melting point of all the natural fats and remain solid at room temperature.

2) MONOUNSATURATED FATS (MONOUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS) (MUFAs):- Monounsaturated fats are those where there is one double bond between carbon atoms.  This means the carbon atoms are bonded to hydrogen atoms at all but one point (the double carbon bond).  They are therefore not fully saturated with hydrogen atoms (hence the ‘unsaturated’ part of the name) but only at this one point (hence the ‘mono’ part of the name).  Monounsaturated fats are mainly found in avocados, nuts and olive oil.  They have a lower melting point than saturated fats but a higher melting point than polyunsaturated fats.

3) POLYUNSATURATED FATS (POLUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS):- Polyunsaturated fats are those where there are two or more double bonds between carbon atoms.  This means that they are not fully saturated with hydrogen atoms (hence the ‘unsaturated’ part of the name) and this happens at two or more points (hence the ‘poly’ part of the name).  The two main types of polyunsaturated fats are omega 3 fatty acids and omega 6 fatty acids.  Omega 3s are mainly found in oily fish whereas omega 6s are mainly found in vegetable oils.  Both omega 3s and omega 6s are essential fatty acids which means they cannot be produced by your body and must be sourced from your diet.  Polyunsaturated fats have the lowest melting point of all dietary fats and remain liquid at low temperatures.

4) TRANS FATS (TRANS-ISOMER FATTY ACIDS) (TFAs):- Trans fats are those where an originally unsaturated fat has hydrogen atoms added to it.  They can be created naturally when a hydrogen bond on an unsaturated fat gets twisted.  However, the vast majority of trans fats are man made in a process called hydrogenation.  Man made trans fats are mainly found in processed foods such as biscuits, cakes and crisps.  They have a high melting point and remain solid at room temperature.

WHICH TYPES OF DIETARY FAT SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Conventional wisdom suggest that you should consume mainly unsaturated fats, limit your intake of saturated fats and completely avoid trans fats.  The logic behind this is the effect that each type of fat has on your HDL (high density lipoprotein) and LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels.  LDL cholesterol can build up in the artery walls which causes them to become blocked and restricts the flow of blood through them.  Ultimately, this can lead to high blood pressure, increase your risk of heart disease and damage your vital organs.  HDL cholesterol removes excess LDL cholesterol from your bloodstream and blood vessel walls then transports it to the liver where it can be processed and removed from the body.

So based on this conventional wisdom unsaturated fats increase HDL cholesterol levels whilst reducing LDL cholesterol levels and therefore come highly recommended.  Saturated fats increase levels of both HDL and LDL cholesterol, hence the reason moderate consumption is advised.  Man made trans fats are believed to have no health benefits.  They increase LDL cholesterol levels whilst reducing HDL cholesterol levels and should be avoided at all costs.

However, more recent research suggests these popular assumptions surrounding dietary fat might not be correct.  This article from The Fitness Black Book suggests that instead of going for specific types of fat you should try and eat natural fats whilst avoiding processed fats.  Scott (the author) believes that many polyunsaturated fats such as vegetable oils are in fact highly processed, unnatural and unhealthy.  Contrastingly, saturated fats come from natural plant and animal products so are therefore good for your health.  Monounsaturated fats and certain polyunsaturated fats (such as fish oils) also come from natural plant and animal products meaning that they too are good for your health.  Trans fats are largely man made and so should still be avoided completely.  Research supports this view with the following article outlining just how important saturated fat is to your body.

In summary when it comes to the four types of fat you should follow the guidelines below…
- Saturated Fats:- OK to consume but make sure they come from natural sources e.g. go for a joint of beef instead of a beef burger.
- Monounsaturated Fats:- OK to consume but make sure they come from natural sources e.g. go for nuts and olive oil instead of margarine and mayonaise.
- Polyunsaturated Fats:- OK to consume but make sure they come from natural sources e.g. go for oily fish, seeds and green leafy vegetables but avoid vegetable oil.
- Trans Fats:- Avoid at all costs.

HOW DOES YOUR BODY USE DIETARY FAT?

When you ingest any type of dietary fat it is broken down into glycerol and fatty acids in the stomach and intestine.  Since fats and oils cannot be mixed with water or water based substances such as digestive fluids, the glycerol and fatty acids next need to be altered in a process called emulsification.  This process allows fats to be held in the digestive fluids long enough to be digested.  Once digested the fat is then transported to your body’s cells via the bloodstream and lymphatic system.

Unlike carbohydrates and protein which have one major function (carbohydrates provide your body with energy and protein acts as building blocks for your body’s cells), dietary fat has a number of important roles in your body.  These include:
- Forming the structure of every cell membrane in your body.
- Helping you absorb certain vitamins.
- Lubricating your joints.
- Providing insulation for your nerves.
- Supporting strong bones.
- Supporting a strong immune system.

DIETARY FAT SUMMARY

Dietary fat is often seen as the macronutrient to avoid.  However, it is a vital part of your diet so long as you go for natural fats.  By choosing the right fats you can keep your cholesterol levels under control and keep your body functioning properly.  I hope this article has given you a basic introduction to dietary fat and its importance.  In my next few articles I plan to expand on the pros and cons of consuming dietary fat and also recommend a selection of natural fat choices.

Until then I want to hear your thoughts.  Do you agree with my recommended fat choices?  Is there anything I have missed?  Let me know by leaving a comment.

Sources:
Fat (Wikipedia)
Fat Summary (Weight Loss Tips and Secrets)
Digestion of Dietary Fats (Carbs Mart)
Proven Health Benefits of Saturated Fats (Organic Natural Health)
The Fat Panel
The Four Types of Fat – Sorting Out the Confusion of Dietary Fats (The Fitness Black Book)

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If you enjoyed this article and want to make dietary fat part of your diet then you should check out Antonio Valladares’ Healthy Urban Kitchen Cookbook.   In his ebook Antonio provides you with a number of tasty, versatile recipes which utilise healthy fats.

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