The big, bad…Fat?
“Okay, and how does fat make you feel?”
Fat has long been a controversial topic in the world of health and nutrition. It is portrayed as the macronutrient that will either make or break you (or your waistline). Over time, fat has been demonized and then glorified — leaving many of us confused about what to believe.
How have we gotten to this point? How have we taken our three main energy sources (fats, carbs, and proteins) and muddled them into a point of stress and second-guessing?
Take a moment to reflect: How does fat make you feel? Are you someone on the hunt for fat-free or low-fat items or are you filling your basket with keto-approved foods?
Let’s unpack what fat actually is, how it functions in the body, and the full spectrum — the good, the bad, and everything in between.
What is fat?
Fat is one of the three essential macronutrients your body needs to function and thrive — the other two being carbohydrates and protein. For every gram of fat consumed, your body receives 9 calories, more than double the energy provided by carbs or protein.
Fats play several important roles in the body:
they provide a concentrated source of energy
support hormone production and regulation
aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K)
protect organs
support cell structure
play a key role in brain and cardiovascular health.
In fact, adequate fat intake has even been linked to reduced risk of cognitive decline, Alzheimers, and dementia.
All fats are made up of chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms, but their structure determines how the fat behaves in your body—and your food. This is why not all fats are created equal.
There are four main types of fat:
trans fats
saturated fats
monounsaturated fats
polyunsaturated fats.
Let’s break down everything.
Trans Fats
Trans-fats are a type of unsaturated fat that have undergone partial hydrogenation; a process in which hydrogen molecules are added to liquid vegetable oils to make them solid at room temperature. This process alters the oils natural structure, which is great for increasing shelf life, making it popular in processed foods.
But this structural change makes them difficult for your body to process and highly damaging to cardiovascular health. Trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower HDL (good) cholesterol, and significantly increase the risk of heart disease.
Not all trans-fats are processed and added into our foods however. There are small traces of trans-fats found in meat and dairy products. This occurs naturally due to the bacteria in the stomach of ruminant animals (i.e. cattle, sheep, goats), that helps to break down food.
Common sources of trans fats include fast foods and processed foods (cakes, cookies, frozen pizzas), margarine and vegetable shortening, and animal products (in much smaller amounts).
Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature (i.e. bacon fat, butter, coconut oil) and are found all throughout the Standard American Diet (SAD).
These fats are called “saturated” because they are fully saturated with hydrogen atoms making them straight and dense. Whereas trans fats contain double bonds, saturated fats do not, helping them to take a solid form.
While our bodies can breakdown saturated fats for energy, we don’t actually need to consume them. Our bodies breakdown excess simple carbs and sugars (like those found in desserts and sodas) and convert them into saturated fats.
Saturated fats are known to building plaque within the arteries, increasing bodily inflammation, increased LDL cholesterol and increases risk of heart attacks, cancer, and diabetes.
Saturated fats are commonly found in animal products (meat and dairy), baked desserts, palm oil, coconut oil and coconut cream.
Monounsaturated Fats
ALERT: entering the heart-healthy fat zone!
Monounsaturated fats contain only one double bond in their carbon chain, creating a bend in the molecule. This kink prevents these fats from stacking and packing — unlike saturated fats — which keeps them liquid at room temperature (like olive oil).
These fats are help with membrane fluidity, maintaining heart health, and lowering LDL cholesterol, lowers risk of heart disease, and in some studies has been shown to lower rates of depression.
Monounsaturated fats are primarily found in plant-based foods such as avocado, nuts, seeds, and olive oil with small amounts found in meat and dairy.
Polyunsaturated Fats
Now for the big guns: polyunsaturated fats.
Polyunsaturated fats are essential fats — meaning we do not make this fat — that contain multiple double carbon bonds making them even more fluid. Polyunsaturated fats increase LDL liver receptors, which helps to clear out bad cholesterol and lower inflammation.
Polyunsaturated fats are further broken down into the Omega-3 and Omega-6 groups.
Omega-3
Omega-3’s have received a lot of attention as of late — and for good reason. Higher intake of omega-3’s are associated with reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease (i.e. Alzheimers, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and Multiple Sclerosis), age-related cognitive decline and macular degeneration, and are an essential aspect for cell function and repair, cell signaling, reducing inflammation, influencing gene expression and promoting tissue repair and cell stem function.
Omega-3’s can be further broken down into three types:
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)
EPA helps reduce triglyceride levels, blood pressure and inflammation which helps to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. EPA has been shown to lower inflammation linked to joint swelling and pain, helping those battling rheumatoid arthritis. Science has also been linking EPA consumption to lowering rates of depression.
You can find high concentrations of EPA omega-3s in cold water fatty fish (i.e. salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, and anchovies).
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)
DHA is a structural component for brain and eye cell membranes making this omega-3 crucial for brain and eye health. DHA is a building block for the brain, aiding with cognitive function, memory and helping to fight against Alzheimers and dementia. This fatty acid is also found most concentrated in the retina, making the intake of this omega-3 crucial, as adequate amounts of DHA have been shown to maintain vision and protect against age-related macular degeneration. EPA and DHA work similarly to fight inflammation, lower blood triglyceride levels, and possibly even battling against depression.
Like EPA, you can also find high concentrations of DHA in cold water fatty fish.
Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA)
ALA is the last of the Omega-3 grouping. It is important for slowing down rates of cardiovascular disease and risk of stroke as well as slowing down the decline of cognitive function and memory loss.
ALA plays a critical role in the growth and development for the body and brain in infants and young children. It has been shown to help protect against childhood obesity (Nguyen-Hoang, Dhadra & Hughes).
ALA can be converted to EPA and DHA, however the conversion rates are relatively inefficient compared with consuming or supplementing with EPA and DHA. A study by Childs and colleagues (2014) found that higher intake of ALA influenced EPA levels differently in men and women. Their study showed women converting about 21% to EPA and 9% to DHA and men only converting about 8% to EPA and 0% to DHA, likely due to hormonal differences (e.g. estrogen).
You can find ALA in foods such as chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts and algae and seaweed.
Omega-6
Omega-6 is another essential fat. These fatty acids increase skin health, decrease risk of cardiovascular disease and help to regulate inflammation in the body.
As of late, Omega-6 fatty acids have received a lot of backlash (hello, seed oils), as causing inflammation throughout the body, and increasing risk of obesity and risk of chronic diseases. The key issue here is imbalances. The golden ratio for omega-6 to omega-3 is 4:1, but thanks to the high rate of consumption of processed foods, seed oils, and mayonaisse, fried foods, and more, the ratio is skewed to be closer to 16:1.
Try lowering your use of oils when cooking to restore balance.
You can find omega-6 in whole food sources such as walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, almonds, eggs, chicken, tofu, and leafy greens.
So at the end of the day…
Let’s recap.
Fat does not make you fat. It’s an vital nutrient that provides energy to use, helps regulate your hormones, helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and can support the brain, heart, eyes, and cells throughout the body, while lowering LDL cholesterol, inflammation, and risk of certain cancers and cognitive diseases.
However, it’s important to make sure you understand and know which type of fat you are eating throughout the day to reap these benefits. Try replacing trans fats and saturated fats with mono- and polyunsaturated fats instead. Try to boost your intake of omega-3’s and lower consumption of processed foods using a lot of seed oils.
Another note: there is tons of emerging science surrounding omega-3’s. I recommend checking out this link to start scratching through the iceberg.
Dr. Gregor’s Traffic Light Method for Fats
Taking a page out of Dr. Gregor’s book:
Green light = Go for it!
Yellow light = consume in moderation
Red light = best to avoid
Green Light
Fatty cold water fish (salmon, mackerel, trout, herring, anchovies)
Avocado
Flax seed
Hemp Hearts
Nuts and Seeds
Tahini
Peanut Butter
Almond Butter
Yellow Light
Olive Oil
Avocado Oil
Red Meat
Cheeses
Red Light
Fried foods (donuts, french fries, fried chicken)
Vegetable Shortening
Margarine
Ready-to-use Frostings
Commercially produced baked goods
Highly processed snack foods (crackers and chips made with hydrogenated oils)
