Is it time for an oil change?
Dietary fat has gotten a bad rap for many years. There are a wealth of myths out there such as dietary fat makes you fat or that it clogs your arteries. This blog is going to explain the different types of dietary fat, their health benefits, and why you should consider an oil change for you and your loved ones.
The three main classes of dietary fatty acids: saturated, unsaturated, and trans fatty acids.
Saturated fats:
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are very stable therefore they are less likely to become oxidized and act as a free radical in the body.
This type of fat is often demonized as causing heart disease or clogging arteries mostly because bad science convinced people that since it is solid at room temperature it must be solid in our arteries. This is not true and if you think about it you actually already know this. What happens to butter or coconut oil if you leave them out on the counter in the heat of summer? They melt, right? Same thing happens in our body since normal body temperature is around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
In fact, a recent meta-analysis of over 340,000 participants found NO significant evidence linking dietary saturated fat with an increased risk of coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease.
Health benefits of saturated fat:
Supports strong immune function
Delivers fat-soluble vitamins to cells and tissues
Reduces inflammation
Increases HDL cholesterol
Reduces triglycerides
Makes LDL particles larger and more buoyant
Protects liver from damage from alcohol and medications
Make up over half of the fat content in the brain
Sources of saturated fat:
Whole milk and full-fat dairy products
Butter
Ghee
Coconut oil
Palm oil
Fattier cuts of meat
**Be sure to buy organic, pastured dairy products and grass-fed beef to avoid added hormones and other toxins as these chemicals get stored in fat. **
Unsaturated fats:
Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, but solidify when chilled. They are less stable than saturated fats due to their one or more unsaturated bonds. The greater the number of unsaturated bonds the more fragile the oil is and the more prone it is to becoming oxidized and acting as a free radical in the body, causing inflammation.
There are two main classes of unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Monounsaturated
Monounsaturated fats are named for the fact that there is just one unsaturated bond vs. polyunsaturated fats that have many or "poly" unsaturated bonds.
Benefits of monounsaturated fats are:
Reduces overall LDL and triglyceride levels
Increases HDL cholesterol
Decreases oxidized LDL
Reduces inflammation
Lowers blood pressure
Sources of monounsaturated fats are:
Avocados
Olives and olive oil
Macadamia nuts
Almonds and
Egg yolks
Polyunsaturated fats:
Polyunsaturated fatty acids are the most unstable dietary fat due to their many unsaturated bonds. The subclasses of polyunsaturated fatty acids are omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-6's fatty acids:
There are a number of omega-6 fatty acids including: linoleic acid (LA), arachidonic acid (ARA), gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
Linoleic acid (LA) is the only omega-6 fatty acid considered essential because we cannot make this type of fat in our body. We can, however, use it to make the other types of omega-6 fatty acids.
Benefits of omega-6 fatty acids:
Primarily used for energy
Plays role in cell communication
Aids in growth/repair of muscle tissue
Pro and anti-inflammatory effects
Reduces symptoms of eczema (specific to GLA)
Sources of omega-6 fatty acids include:
**Vegetable oils: sunflower, safflower, corn, soy, canola
Nuts and seeds
Whole grains
Meat
Eggs
**Many of the vegetables oils are highly processed and become oxidized in the process. Watch this YouTube video to see how canola oil is made:**
Omega-3 fatty acids:
This type of fat is also considered essential as it cannot be made in the body. There are plant-based sources and animal-based sources; each play a vastly different role in the body.
The plant-based source of omega-3's is called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). It is found in walnuts, chia seeds, and flax seeds.
The animal-based sources of omega-3's are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA). They are found in fatty fish such as salmon, cod liver oil, and anchovies.
Benefits of omega-3 fatty acids:
Provides structure for cell membranes
Regulates gene expression
Pro and anti-inflammatory effects
Increases HDL cholesterol
Reduces triglycerides
Benefits of DHA:
Crucial for infant brain development
Enhances communication between neurons in the brain
Improves memory
Reduces brain inflammation
Reduces brain degeneration
Benefits of EPA:
May reduce symptoms of depression
Reduces inflammation
Benefits of ALA:
Primarily used as energy source in the body
Contrary to popular belief, humans are not good at converting plant-based omega-3 fatty acids into DHA or EPA. Less than 5% of ALA gets converted to EPA and less than 0.5% of ALA gets converted into DHA.
Our current Western diet is too high in omega-6 fatty acids compared to omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that a smaller ratio of omega-6:omega-3 fatty acids are associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer and are beneficial for people struggling with asthma.
Trans fats:
Trans fatty acids are either man-made or naturally occurring. For the purpose of this blog we will not get into naturally occurring trans fatty acids other than to say they do not hold the same health risk as trans fatty acids. Man-made or industrial trans fatty acids are made during a process of partial hydrogenation. This is done to make the fat stable and solid at room temperature.
In 2005, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) reported "that dietary trans fatty acids have been increasingly implicated as contributing to type-two diabetes, cancer, heart disease, auto-immune disease, tendon and bone degeneration, and problems with fertility and growth". As a result, the NAS determined that there is no safe amount of man-made trans fats that is safe for consumption.
**Foods can be labeled "trans fat free" if they contain 0.5 grams of less of trans fat per serving. To avoid this, steer clear of ingredient labels that list partially hydrogenated fats.**
Health Benefits of industrial trans fats:
NONE!:
Reduces HDL cholesterol
Increases LDL cholesterol
Increases risk of cancer, heart disease, and other inflammatory condition
Sources of industrial trans fats:
Doughnuts
Margarine
Fast food
Frozen food
Chips
Cookies
Crackers
Candy
Packaged foods
Okay, now that you have made it through all that information what types of dietary fat should you and your loved ones be eating?
Whole food sources of course!
Try incorporating organic dairy, grass-fed beef, avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds into your diet and reap the benefits of these different types of dietary fat. Avoid overly processed vegetable oils and foods containing trans fats whenever possible.
For a few more suggestions:
Best types of fat for cooking:
Butter
Coconut oil
Palm oil
Extra-virgin olive oil (at a lower heat)
Best types of fat for salad dressing:
Extra-virgin olive oil
Expeller-expressed sesame oil
Expeller-expressed flax oil
If you need help with your oil change, schedule an initial assessment today by clicking on the following link: https://katie-chang.clientsecure.me/client_portal
Sources:
Kresser, Chris (2013). Your personal paleo code: The 3-step plan to lose weight, reverse disease, and stay fat and healthy for life. Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY.
Fallon Morell, S. (2009). Know your fats introduction. Retrieved March 2017 from https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/know-your-fats/know-your-fats-introduction/.
Masterjohn, C. (2012). Good fats, bad fat: Separating fact from fiction. Retrieved March 2017 from https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/know-your-fats/good-fats-bad-fats-separating-fact-from-fiction/
Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease. (2010). Siri-Tarino, P., Sun, Q., Hu, F., and Krauss, R. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Retrieved March 2017 from htttp://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2010/01/13/ajcn.2009.27725.abstract
Robertson, D. Omega 3-6-9 fatty acids: A complete overview. Retrieved March 2017 from https://authoritynutrition.com/omega-3-6-9-overview/.
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