Fat – Busting myths about this misunderstood & important macronutrient

With almost every client I work with we spend a fair about of time talking about fat and why it’s a critical part of each meal. Why? There are SO many misconceptions and myths about fat floating around out there – low fat, no fat, eggs are bad, butter is unhealthy, high fat, eat the eggs…It’s confusing to navigate for most people.

This confusion is actually one of the reasons I became a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner – I wanted to study nutrition through the lens of science and how the human body functions specifically regarding human anatomy and biochemistry.

This post is about all things related to fats and oils, including debunking the low-fat myth, discussing the different types of fats, roles of fat in the body, and providing lists of both fats to avoid and what to choose instead.

Low Fat, High Fat – What should I Eat?

There is often a lot of confusion about fat and cholesterol in the nutrition world. It’s time to debunk the low-fat myth and give some practical tips about choosing healthy fats and oils.

So what do I eat – high fat, low fat, no fat, good fats, bad fats!? Understanding the science behind fats is a wonderful place to begin educating yourself so you can make informed choices about the types of fats you put into your body.

To begin, fats are one of the three macronutrients the body needs to function. Eating enough healthy fats that are sourced properly, and also prepared correctly is vital for overall physical and mental health.

Fats Many Roles in the Body:

• Providing a slow burning source of fuel
• Slowing down the absorption of glucose in the blood which can thus support blood sugar regulation
• Serve as the building block for cell membranes and hormones
• Aid in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
• Serve as a protective lining for organs in the body
• Fat makes food taste good!

Fat can be found in many foods including meat, fish, nuts, seeds, and dairy. Fat is not the enemy! Fat was wrongly demonized in the 50s after the diet heart hypothesis and 7 countries study emerged which stated that saturated fat leads to high cholesterol which leads to heart disease. This led to the emergence of replacing fat with sugar, an increase in processed foods, vegetable oils, the “low fat” movement, and the decrease in saturated fat consumption. These studies have been proven false since then, yet this false information is still common in the mainstream culture, and hence the confusion.

The Bottom Line: Saturated fat like butter, eggs, and animal fats are not only good for you, they promote cellular health which supports many processes in the body including the endocrine system. Fats are also needed to digest the fat soluble Vitamins A, D, E, and K. So enjoy!

Types of Fats

There are three main categories of fats (technically called fatty acids): saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

• Saturated fats are the most stable fats and thus are safest for cooking. They are typically solid at room temperature; some good examples are unrefined, cold-pressed coconut oil, organic grass-fed butter, ghee, tallow, and lard.
• Monounsaturated fats are less stable than saturated fats and are typically liquid at room temperature. Since these oils are less stable, they should only be used for low-moderate heat cooking. Some examples are olive, avocado, and almond oil.
• Polyunsaturated fats are the least stable, can go rancid easily, and are very reactive to heat, light, and oxygen. They should not be used for cooking. Most polyunsaturated fats can be found in plant foods like nuts, seeds, flax, and fish.

Avoid Trans Fats: You may have also heard of trans fats or hydrogenated fats. These are fatty acids that have been processed with heat to turn a liquid fat into a solid fat for the purpose of extending shelf life. Trans fats are often found in processed foods like crackers, cookies, margarine, and fried foods. These fatty acids are problematic because they will lower HDL (good cholesterol), raise LDL (bad cholesterol), and increase triglycerides. (Tortora, 2012). Trans fats should always be avoided!

On the other hand, monounsaturated fats like olive or avocado oil can have the opposite effect on cholesterol – raising HDL and lowering LDL.

Toxins, Sourcing, and Cooking with Fats & Oils

Not all fats are created equal!

Toxins that we ingest from food are stored in our tissues and accumulate over time. These toxins can come from pesticides, GMOs, and heat processing techniques used to create the fat.

Therefore it’s important to choose oils that are cold-pressed (not heat processed) and organic whenever possible.

When purchasing animal products we want to understand what the animal was eating and how the animal was raised. This has a direct impact on what is passed along to us when we consume their products like eggs, butter, and milk.

When you are able to source and they are within your budget, choose oils that are cold-pressed, organic, non-GMO, grass fed & grass finished, and pasture-raised.

Best Types of Fat & Oil for Cooking:

Equally important to selecting high-quality foods, is preparing them correctly. As mentioned before, it’s best to cook with saturated fats and oils like coconut oil and butter. See a full list of saturated fats below.

Monounsaturated or polyunsaturated oils (like olive oil) are easily oxidized at high heat, meaning they chemically react more easily with oxygen. This reaction breaks fatty acids apart, thus causing free radicals to form. (Ballantyne, 2017).

Free radicals are cells in the body that only have one electron in their outer shell. Thus they are considered unstable, as they are looking for other stable cells to take an electron from or give their electron to. In other words, they are causing disruption to otherwise healthy, functioning cells in the body. Free radical buildup has been linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, emphysema, and rheumatoid arthritis (Tortora, 2012).

There is a lot of information here and one big takeaway is to read the labels of the products before you purchase. Thanks to this information making it’s way into popular culture, it’s now much easier to find high quality fats at most grocery stores including Trader Joes, Sprouts, and Walmart.

Healthy Fat Choices

Before diving into the different types of fats it’s important to remember that we are all unique. We each have our own bio-individual needs, thus what works for one person may not work for another.

Learning to understand your own body’s needs is the beginning of a journey to optimal health through nutrition.

Fats and oils to always AVOID:

• Trans fats
• Hydrogenated fats
• Canola oil (rapeseed oil)
• Cottonseed oil
• Soybean oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Safflower oil
• Sunflower oil
• Margarine or butter alternatives
• Rice bran oil
• Other refined vegetable seed oils

Choose these Healthy Fats & Oils instead:

• Saturated Fats (best for sautéing and roasting) – organic coconut oil, pasture-raised animal fats like butter, ghee, lard, tallow. These are also good to use for high-heat cooking.
• Omega-3s – egg yolks, walnuts, wild-caught fish and oils like salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, and cod. Smaller fish have fewer toxins and thus are preferred.
• Omega 6s – These come primarily from nuts and seeds and should never be used for cooking. Choose organic and unprocessed (aka raw not roasted) nuts and seeds like cashews, pumpkin, pistachios, sunflower, pecans. Cold-pressed oils like evening primrose, flaxseed, and blackcurrant.
• Omega 9s – From organic olives, avocados, almonds, macadamia nuts. These should also not be heated or used for cooking.

I hope this gives you more clarity about this nourishing macronutrient, inspired to read labels, experiment, and incorporate healthy fats into each of your meals! As always, reach out if you have questions.

Sources:
Nutritional Therapy Association Student Materials, Nutritional Therapy Association, 2018
Paleo Principles, Dr Sarah Ballantyne, 2018
Anatomy & Physiology, Totora, 2012
What the Heck Should I Eat, Dr Mark Hyman, 2018