By now, I sort of assumed most people understand the difference between good and bad fat. However, since I continue to get the same questions from time-to-time, maybe a refresher course in the differences among fats is in order.

  There is still a lot of discussion and hype about fat-free or low-fat labeled foods. There is no shortage of examples on the grocery store shelves of products that feature their version of "healthy", by promoting a reduced fat variety of their product. It is curious, though, that little is mentioned about "good" versus "bad" fat.

 

The Black Hats

Okay, let’s start with the bad guys. Saturated fats are regarded as “a bad thing”, and hydrogenated fats (trans-fatty acids) are regarded as “a VERY bad thing”.

Saturated fats are in items like meat, cheese, milk, butter... a lot of the great comfort foods that people in my generation grew up eating, everyday. Saturated fats are, at least, something our bodies recognize as a natural material, but it is well-established that an over-indulgence of these foods can lead to numerous health issues.

Hydrogenated fats are in most processed foods, including:

• cookies
  
• chips
  
• margarine
  
• shortening
  
• chocolate
  
• crackers

... and numerous other store-bought, prepackaged items. Hydrogenated (and partially-hydrogenated) oils are used to increase shelf-life for these products. Shelf-life is very convenient, but it can be argued that foods with hydrogenated oils are not much better to eat than those clever little, fake, plastic food items you see displayed on dessert trays at some popular restaurants.

 

Between these two types of fats, you would serve yourself well to remember that hydrogenated oils are not a "natural" fat (instead, created by man), and they are quite harmful to the body.

 

 

The "hero" characters in this discussion are the unsaturated fats. These are the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Most of the vegetable oils fall in this category.

 

Within the polyunsaturated group are the very beneficial fats called Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). Over time, we continue to learn more about the role of EFAs in sustaining a healthy body.

 

Essential fatty acids are, by the very definition, essential. It is known that EFAs help prevent certain skin ailments (including eczema), and help control triglyceride and cholesterol levels. They are linked to reproductive and immune health, and there is also mounting evidence of a link between EFA deficiency and certain mental disorders, including autism and attention deficit disorder.

 

Essential fatty acids can be considered the "super food" of the fats. EFAs are considered so vital to our health, the World Health Organization has recommended 3-4% of daily calories should be in the form of this good fat. They further have recommended that for young children and pregnant or lactating women, 5-6% is appropriate.

 

 

I occasionally get accused of beating a drum on a particular topic too much. Perhaps that is true. However, there are a few subjects that I believe continue to require beating on something, and if I am not beating on a drum, then I will likely be beating someone about the head and shoulders in a sincere effort to get a point across.

 

Within our current topic, a point that I strive to get across is just how bad hydrogenated (and even partially hydrogenated) oil/fats and trans-fatty acids (TFAs) are for the human body. The hydrogenation process involves chemically introducing hydrogen at high temperature for 6-8 hours to convert an oil's polyunsaturated fat (the liquid portion) to a solid fat. This solid fat (the trans-fatty acid) is known to cause an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, an increase in total cholesterol, a decrease in HDL (good) cholesterol, and it contributes to immune system dysfunction.

 

If you take anything away from this article, I hope it is at least this:

TFAs are a creation of man. Nowhere in nature does a fat like this occur... at least not in a form intended to be eaten by a human. This hydrogenation process was invented by Proctor & Gamble as a way for food manufacturers to increase the shelf life beyond when "real" oils become rancid. The first commercially available "fake fat" like this was "Crisco" in 1911. Some years later, margarine became all the rage, as a "healthy alternative to butter". Boy, it is really amazing how wrong they got it.

 

 

Saturated fats are used by our bodies for insulation and energy. We are able to make as much as we need from carbohydrates (sugars and such), proteins and fats. So we can actually get along fine without consuming an external source of saturated fat.

 

One reason saturated fats are categorized as a bad fat - especially, fat from beef, pork and dairy products - is because it is a "solid fat" with a tendency to "clump" together. If you can picture this, you may be able to visualize why saturated fat is considered a contributor to cardiovascular disease; a leading cause of death in the U.S.

 

Unlike the good fats, saturated fat is normally tight and rigid, and remains solid in the body unless the body temperature raises enough to consume it as energy ("burn" or "oxidize" it). Until then, it will be stored as fat or deposited in cells, organs or arteries where health risks develop.

 

 

Polyunsaturated fats (the good guys) are required for organ and proper glandular function. These fats act as a "gate keeper" of sorts, assisting in the transmission of messages from cell to cell. These fats have a structure that keeps them in a liquid state whether they are at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or where it really counts, in the body helping keep cell membranes flexible.

 

 

Monounsaturated fats (good guys, too) have a slightly different chemical structure than polyunsaturated fats. A monounsaturated fat will remain liquid at room temperature, but it will solidify in the refrigerator.

 

Monounsaturated fats can be found in such oils as olive, avocado and peanut. An important non-essential fatty acid that comes from these types of fats is oleic acid (omega-9), which helps keep arteries soft and pliable. It is referred to as "non-essential", not because you don't need it, but because the body can make it from other things.

 

 

Essential Fatty Acids are certainly the darling child of the fat community. These are considered the most important, but least understood, of all the fats. Fatty acids are required building blocks for all fats. Of these EFAs, the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are considered critical for numerous processes in the body.

 

Within the body, a chain of events occurs that converts EFAs eventually into compounds called prostaglandins (PGs) through a process called "magic" (yes, that is the actual technical terminology... or at least, it should be).

 

PGs are hormone-like compounds that are in every cell helping regulate cellular activities and required for many physiological functions that include energy production, fat metabolism, growth and tissue repair, inflammatory response, and blood pressure regulation.

 

Given the broad involvement in your overall health, you can understand why it is so important to give your body the continuous supply of EFAs it desires. As an American, it can be a bit of a challenge to follow a diet rich in EFAs. A Krispy Kreme donut for breakfast, Big Mac for lunch, and a pass by Taco Bell for dinner is probably not going to satisfy your body's daily requirements for the essential building blocks.

 

In addition to poor diet, there are other contributing factors that affect the conversion process of EFAs to the components needed by the cells. Old age, alcohol consumption, genetic predisposition, and diabetes can all negatively impact how the EFAs are utilized. For these people, it is even more important to supplement their diet with an EFA oil supplement.

 

Some of the more common forms of supplemental EFAs are Borage, Evening Primrose, Black Currant, Flax, Hemp and Fish Oils. My favorites to recommend are flax, hemp and a fish oil capsule.

 

I consume quite a bit of flax oil, because I really like how it tastes in my morning protein shake. I also occasionally use hemp oil, but it has a much stronger flavor and can be a bit pricey. I also take our version of the EFA fish oil capsule, but up until a few years ago, this type of product was made in a manner that caused some people to burp a fishy flavor all day. Fortunately, the methods used in our current product distill the oil in a manner to prevent that fishy flavor.

 

So in summary, as you strive to be "nutritionally aware" about the fats in your life, here is an admittedly over-simplified list to follow:

• read labels for hidden sources of hydrogenated oils (and partially-hydrogenated oils) that may be lurking in your diet (avoid these)
  
• in particular, do not use margarine
  
• minimize the amounts of saturated fats you consume from animal sources
  
• increase your exercise to "burn" the saturated fats you are storing or consuming
  
• substitute olive oil (cold pressed) in place of butter when cooking
  
• eat more avocados
  
• add flax oil (cold pressed) into your diet, perhaps as part of a salad dressing, or in a blended protein shake
  
• and take an EFA supplement capsule 

For some people, the last bullet item is the easiest change to make and the fastest. I, of course, use and recommend our Essential Fatty Acid Supplement, but there are a few others that work well, also. You might have to go through a few to find one that works with your personal chemistry, so that you don't burp it, but the health benefits are worth the effort.

 

If you do have burping problems with a fish oil product, try taking it during a meal. This will sometimes help counteract the problem. Like all of our products, our EFA supplement is guaranteed to not cause this issue. If you try another brand of product, be sure you are protected with a similar guarantee.

 

Or...,

(Warning! Warning!... shameless, self-serving, promo-plug to follow...)
you could just start with ours and save a lot of time. :-)

 

Bill Evans 

PS: If you would like to read more about this topic, feel free to check out these articles on the website:

The Facts About Fats
A fascinating study of the difference between butter and margarine.

Frequently Asked Questions: Essential Fatty Acids and Nutrition

Throw Away Your Margarine, Long Live Butter- by Dr. Mark Force

 

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