If you have been following along The Foundations so far you have already started to learn how they work together. Fatty acids is no different, because if digestion isn’t working properly we can’t utilize all these great fats that we need to be eating. If you haven’t already be sure to go back and learn all about digestion, blood sugar and the foundation where it all begins, diet.
Now onto one of my favorite subjects: FAT! For decades fat has been the bad guy in nutrition which led us to not only fear it but to shun any literature saying otherwise. In the midst of this people have put their trust unknowingly in companies that created products like margarine out of cheap, excess materials with little to no thought of how it would affect the health of the population. There has also been a continuing lack of correct scientific information being presented to the general public because the studies have been biased and the mainstream media is largely persuaded by the same companies that are making these oils and products. The majority of Americans eat a standard diet that is filled with unstable, rancid hydrogenated fats or a completely low fat diet where the fat is usually replaced with sugar. There are many things wrong with this and what people don’t know is that eating poor quality oils or eating a low fat diet actually affects your body all the way down to the cellular level.
There are different classifications of fats but all fats and oils are either saturated or unsaturated. Unsaturated fats are then separated into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fats are the most stable, followed by monounsaturated and then polyunsaturated being the last stable of them all. The easiest way to understand what fatty acids are is to picture a chain (made up of carbon atoms) where each type of fat is the chain and some have broken links (empty bonds) that are then filled with one or more hydrogen atoms to make them whole and more stable. Saturated fats have no empty or broken bonds making them the most stable and least reactive within the body. Monounsaturated fats lack two hydrogen atoms to become whole and polyunsaturated fats lack four or more hydrogen atoms. Saturated fat provides the most stable structure and interacts the least with other molecules in the body. Unsaturated fats are more interactive in the body and susceptible to damage by outside sources such as sunlight, heat and oxygen. All three types of fat are critical to cell structure and activity in the body, which is why it’s so important to eat adequate amounts of each from high quality sources.
On a cellular level fats have many different roles. In the cell membrane they provide strength as well as structure, aid in the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K as well as calcium. If we are ingesting poor quality, rancid, unstable fats they are the building blocks of our cells and the result is similarly unstable cells. Other roles of fat within the body are the manufacturing of sex hormones, allowing proper use of proteins, protection against invasion by microorganisms and chemical damage. They also act as a protective blanket to organs against trauma and cold. Fats in the cell membrane communicate chemically with other cells within the rest of the body. They do this by passing along and interpreting messages that tell the cells where to adequately focus their energy. Saturated fats specifically have antimicrobial properties, contribute to the health of the immune system, provide protection from viruses, yeasts and pathogenic bacteria. Proper energy regulation is also controlled by fats because they slow the absorption of other foods while fats themselves can be used for quick energy if needed. Eating a range of high quality fats from different sources is very important, but it is just the first step. In order for the body to use the fatty acids in the body there needs to be optimal digestion, liver function and enzymes present for the fats to be utilized. Fats are broken down into triglycerides and fat soluble nutrients that are then moved around the body via the lymph system and carried to other parts of the body like the liver, muscles, cells and excess is sent to adipose (fat) tissue for storage.
One big problem with the standard American diet is the overconsumption of these unsaturated fats that are typically processed or used in ways that make them even more unstable. A lot of seed oils such as canola are heated as methods of extraction which damages the oils right from the start and they can no longer function the way they are needed to within the body. Another method called hydrogenation is used where they manually force hydrogen gas into the oil in order to make it more shelf stable. The result is less likely to go rancid however it lowers the quality of the oil and some of the fatty acids are then transformed into a new form called trans fat. Trans fat is the ultimate demon- it increases blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind), as well as contributes to hardening of the arteries. Eating oxidized, hydrogenated or rancid oils causes the formation of free radicals which damages cell membranes, enzyme sites and DNA. Constant free radicals in the body leads to chronic inflammation, heart disease, hypertension, arthritis and probably cancer (though it is not yet a scientifically proven fact). Unfortunately these oils are also cheap, which makes them abundant in processed foods and in restaurants.
Another big problem with the standard American diet is those who avoid fats altogether. There is a reason why low-fat diets lead to low energy, depression, weight gain and mineral deficiencies because you are depriving your body of one of the essential macronutrients. Without adequate fat our body is able (with much more effort and only under perfect circumstances) to convert carbohydrates into certain types of fats but not all of them, which is why you have to include them in your diet. It is important to consume all of these different types of fats, even the polyunsaturated ones because an excess of one can create a deficiency of another. For example, since we ingest a lot of seed oils as a population most people’s omega 6 is more than twice the amount of omega 3 – both of which are polyunsaturated fats. Vice versa, people who consume excess fish oil supplements for Omega 3 are at risk of tipping the scale the other way. Eating a low or no fat diet also effects the production and usage of bile in the body. Bile is created in the liver by fats, which means that using high quality fats is important for the quality of the bile. Rancid, unstable fats can cause thick, slow flowing bile that isn’t as effective, whereas consuming quality fats creates a more viscous, quick flowing bile. Bile is created in the liver and then transferred to the gallbladder to hold until it is triggered to release. The gallbladder is like a balloon, it is designed to expand and fill with bile and then contract to release bile. Not only is the quality of bile dependent on fats, the release of bile is also dependent upon the presence of fat in the small intestine and the emulsification or breakdown of fat is dependent upon bile. People who have gallbladder issues are typically experiencing a back up of bile due to poor quality bile, lack of fat in the diet or a dysfunction of the gallbladder itself because of those things. It can even get so bad that there are gallstones, and crystallization of the bile. These days the solution for gallbladder issues is to just remove the gallbladder. Unfortunately, most people who have their gallbladders removed aren’t aware of it’s importance and also don’t know that they need to supplement to support their digestion without a gallbladder.
Another action of fats within the body is prostaglandin formation. Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances that the body cannot do without. They are found in almost all body tissues and fluids and are conjugated (put together) from elongated forms of essential fatty acids that are synthesized in cell membranes. Prostaglandins regulate cell communication and control the ability for the body to naturally control both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses. Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids are combined in different ways to create anti-inflammatory prostaglandins, while saturated fats create pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. The role of both of these prostaglandins are extremely important in the body’s ability to respond to stress, injury and infection.
As stated before the cofactors for fat absorption as well as prostaglandin formation is proper digestion, liver function and enzymes such as amino acids, B6, magnesium and zinc. At the same time there are certain dietary inhibitors: trans fatty acids, aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), alcohol and steroids that inhibit these pathways and the ability to create prostaglandins. Without the activity of prostaglandins we can lose or impair our ability to regulate inflammation from the inside and this creates more inflammation and dysfunction in the future. NSAIDs and aspirin block the effects of two key enzymes that are necessary for the body’s ability to conjugate fatty acids into prostaglandins. The body then produces less inflammation and less pain but it doesn’t get rid of the root cause of the pain and it continues. Over time if NSAID usage is chronic it could stop the bodies ability to conjugate fatty acids all together. One type of prostaglandin provides protection to the lining of the stomach and GI tract, so when you are using NSAIDs you lessen this protection and it can cause gastrointestinal issues, irritation and ulcers which can then impair digestion. Without the body’s natural ability to control inflammation the body is weaker to defend against infection, heal from injury and deal with other digestive or nutritional distress. NSAID’s also block enzymes that help with blood flow and dilation of bronchial tubes which could increase the risk for heart attack or stroke.
So what types of fat should you be eating? The answer is… all of them! The important part is to choose high quality sources of each. Here are some examples:
Saturated Fats
Characteristics: highly stable, do not go rancid easily, solid or semi-solid at room temperature, found in animal fats and tropical oils, great for frying & high heat cooking, non-essential because the body can make these*(see note below)*
Sources: palm oil, coconut oil, eggs, butter, dairy (preferably raw), animal flesh fats
Monounsaturated Fats
Characteristics: relatively stable, do not go rancid easily, liquid at room temperature, non-essential because the body can make these*(see note below)*
Sources: olive oil, almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts and avocados
Polyunsaturated Fats
Characteristics: relatively unstable, go rancid easily, always liquid, two are essential: linolenic acid and alpha-linoleic acid, NEVER use these for frying or heat cooking, include Omega-3 & Omega-6 oils
Sources: flax, nuts, seeds, fish oils
Omega-3 Sources: fish oil, flax seed, wheat germ, walnut, hemp, pumpkin
Omega-6 Sources: sunflower oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, black currant seed, evening primrose
*NOTE about non-essential fats* The body CAN make these fats, which means they are classified as non-essential fats. HOWEVER, just because the body can make them does not mean that it is easy. It requires much more work for the body to take carbohydrates and turn them into these non-essential fatty acids and that is only IF the conjugation is working properly and has all of the required dietary support to do so. Unfortunately most people have issues with prostaglandin formation, which means that adding all types of high quality fats to the diet is the best for the body because you are giving it all of the ingredients it needs instead of forcing it to work twice as hard to create it out of other things.
The difference between good fat and bad fat is in the way they are processed, not in the inherent nature of their source – with the EXCEPTION of canola (made of rapeseed which is toxic on it’s own), cottonseed and soy. These oils are the most unstable and toxic.
FATS TO AVOID:
- Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils – just think if what the oil was made out of isn’t oily to begin with… it probably shouldn’t be made into oil!
- Processed vegetable oils
- Canola oil
- Soybean oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Safflower oil
- Rice bran oil
- Margarine
- Man made trans fats often found in “butter spreads” like Earth Balance and I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter (also- you’re not fooling anyone, we all know it’s not butter) – EAT REAL BUTTER INSTEAD
The bottom line is that you should not fear fat, even the ones that you should avoid. YES, you should clear all of these out of your pantry and only cook with the quality oils I have listed. But, you will encounter these oils somewhere, probably at a restaurant if you ever want to eat out again. Sure, there are certainly people who can avoid them altogether but it takes an extreme amount of work, questions and pre-planning. My recommendation is to control the fat you eat in every way possible. This means checking all of your food labels and only choosing products that have the best quality oils. Personally, I don’t sweat eating out at a restaurant, because I don’t do it all the time and I avoid the low quality fats every where else. Occasionally I will have chips or a pre-made baked good that contains a low quality fat, but these times are few and far between.
Remember that only you can control what you put into your mouth, and as long as you are making healthy choices a majority of the time, the one-offs will not be as detrimental to your health.
Up next on the foundations is minerals! Did you know that they are responsible for the constant pumping of your heart? I hope you will check back to learn all about it.