Lose Your Fear of Fat

By Marcia Smith, ND, PhD
Taken from http://www.mannapages.com/healthyu

Statistics make it clear that the low-fat diet craze has contributed to widespread weight gain in the United States. This craze has likely contributed to other health problems and probably will contribute to more in the future because fat is required for several aspects of your health. The primary purpose of fat is to act as stored energy and spare protein or muscle tissue. If fat is converted correctly into energy, the body doesn't need to catabolize muscle tissue for that purpose. Fat is needed to create healthy cell membranes and provides insulation against heat loss, and more sensitive organs are cushioned by it. Fat in the diet also provides essential fatty acids known commonly as EFA's. These are "good" fats which facilitate the manufacture of numerous hormones in the body. So fat is necessary for health. The key is differentiating good fats from "bad" fats. (Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 18th edition, page 709)

Over the past 20 years Americans have become frightened of fat. Every time we enter a supermarket and see the prevalence of low-fat and fat-free foods, we are, in a sense, being programmed to believe that fat is bad.

However, the proper balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is necessary for balanced blood sugar. Balanced blood sugar is one of the essential elements for maintaining a lean body.

Good Fat, Bad Fat-What's the Difference?
Once we lose our fear of fat, the next step is to learn to distinguish good fats from bad fats. Fat is not inherently bad. There are good fats and bad fats. What makes a fat good or bad? Extensive study of this issue over many years has led to a simple answer: Naturally occurring fats are sources of both good fat and bad fat. Processed or synthetic fats or fat substitutes such as margarine contain only bad fats, called transfatty acids. The good fats called EFA's mentioned above are found only in natural sources of fats. What allows the advertising that all Americans have been subjected to over the years is that trans-fatty acids, which are bad for your health, are technically unsaturated fats. However, the reality is that they behave like saturated fats when they get into your body, so there is no health advantage to them. In fact, quite the opposite is true. (Abbey, M., Nestel, P.J. "Plasma cholesterol ester transfer protein activity is increased when trans-elaidic acid is substituted for cis-oleic acid in the diet." Atherosclerosis 1994, 106: 99-107)

One of the best books for understanding the difference between good fats and bad fats is Beyond Pritikin by Ann Louise Gittleman. She lists four primary factors that devitalize and alter fats-heat, hydrogenation, oxidation and homogenization.

Avoid Mass-produced Fats
The large-scale commercial development of the polyunsaturated oils (corn oil and soy oil) is a 20th-century phenomenon. Prior to the 20th century, oils were pressed from various nuts and seeds. Oils were sold fresh and had a short shelf life. (There would have been an oilman similar to a milkman.) Many commercial oils are now produced with high heat and chemical solvents. These processes can strip away the natural antioxidants.

To better ensure you are buying a healthy polyunsaturated oil, look for cold-pressed or expeller-pressed on the label. Why is heat a problem for oil? The human body was designed to recognize and utilize oils that are in a specific shape-the cis-form. When the polyunsaturated oils are heated, they can change into the trans- form-a shape that the body doesn't recognize. It is similar to trying to put a round peg into a square hole. The molecular structure of trans-fats causes the body to utilize them as though they were saturated fats, and this is why trans fats have been documented to raise cholesterol. (Abbey, M., Nestel, P.J. "Plasma cholesterol ester transfer protein activity is increased when trans-elaidic acid is substituted for cis-oleic acid in the diet." Atherosclerosis 1994, 106: 99-107)
Polyunsaturated oils are often hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. A hydrogen molecule is added to make the oil more solid. These oils are frequently found in many processed and packaged foods. The only purpose for hydrogenating these oils is to extend the shelf life of the products.

These hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils are a source of the undesirable trans-fats. Margarine is a processed food, and most margarine and butter substitutes are sources of trans- fats. Monounsaturated oils (olive, peanut and avocado) are more chemically stable. They are considered to be good fats. It is fine to cook with monounsaturated oils.

Flaxseed oil is an excellent source of healthy, essential fatty acids. It is sold in the refrigeration case and should not be used for cooking. It can be used to dress salads and vegetables that are already cooked. Flaxseeds are beneficial for their fiber as well as their oil. They need to be ground fresh (in a coffee grinder) in order to make their oil available. Ground flaxseeds are great when sprinkled on vegetables or salads.

References:
Erasmus, Udo. Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill, Alive Books, 1994.

Fallon, Sally, MA; Connolly, Pat; and Enig, Mary, PhD. Nourishing Traditions, New Trends Publishing, 1999.

Gittleman, Ann Louise. Beyond Pritikin, Bantam, 1995.

Schwarzbein, Diana. The Schwarzbein Principle, MD Health Communications, 1999.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

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