Fat is Fat, But is it a Healthy Fat?
Written by Corinne Dobbas, MS, RD // September 26, 2009 // Nutrition // 9 Comments
home-pressed olive oil!
A lovely GGB reader asked me to talk about fats. Ask and ye shall receive.
When I think of healthy fats, I immediately think of olive oil. Then, I envision the two bottles of home-pressed olive oil sitting on my kitchen counter (showcased on your left). YES, that’s right…homemade…hmmm, hmmm…delicious! Just close your eyes and imagine this on warm, toasty, garlic bread with just a hint of sea salt and real garlic chunks…mmm, mmm!
Notice–one bottle is empty, but its design is just so pretty I can’t bear to throw it away. Hence, my makeshift flower vase. My darling cousin gave these bottles—filled with healthifying scrumptiousness–as gifts at her wedding. And, after delving into this true foodie delight, I have decided that it should be mandatory for all to give away homemade olive oil at their wedding:)
Now, on to the information YOU requested on healthy fats along with some other lipidicous tidbits.
First–let’s start off with the GOOD fats. Please, give a warm welcome to the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats!
Hello monos–avocado, peanuts, almonds, pistachios! And…Canola, peanut, sunflower, and olive oil!
Hello polys–fatty fish–mackerel, salmon, herring, trout–walnuts, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds!
In short, both the monos and the polys keep your blood easily flowing throughout your body. They help keep your cholesterol level in-check as well as that nasty LDL cholesterol. This may not sound like such a big deal, BUT…IT. IS. If you eat mostly these fats, your body will thank you later.
Why, you ask??? Well, if you stick to your guns and eat mostly these fats, then you’ll help prevent plaque buildup in your blood vessels. When you have high cholesterol and/or a high LDL, ooey-gooey, sticky plaque can develop in your vessels—just like plaque can build up on your teeth when you continually skip that dentist check-up that is just oh so NOT a pleasant experience. But, instead of getting a cavity…heart disease, heart attacks, and/or stroke may occur. No thank you!
Monos and polys protect against this wacky-plaquey development, keeping your vessels in-check. Plus, foods high in monos are typically high in Vitamin E, which is good news, as most of us aren’t getting enough of this healthifying antioxidant. And, foods high in polys may be wheeling and dealing your daily Omega-3 dose!
Omega-3s are essential fatty acids, since the only way you can get them is through food or supplements. Your body can’t make them, but needs them so you can use your noggin to full capacity, clot your blood if you cut yourself (say while chopping broccoli!?!), and pump your blood effortlessly.
Omega-3s are always “all- up” in nutrition news because of their awesome anti-inflammatory properties. The latest research shows that Omega-3s are not only beneficial in heart disease, but may help those with dementia, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, and inflammatory bowel disease. Woo-hoo! Also, for those with a “bun in the oven”– taking Omega-3 supplements during pregnancy and while lactating may benefit your infant’s cognitive development. NOTE–the word is not out on directly providing your baby with these supplements, so just make sure YOU are getting enough.
Where to get your daily dose?
Use these throughout your day:
- Soybean oil
- Canola oil
- Flaxseeds
- Walnuts
- Green leafy veggies
- Tofu
AND
Enjoy one of these fish twice a week:
- Mackerel
- Lake trout
- Herring
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Albacore tuna
Hate Fish? Or, pregnant, limiting fish, and watching your mercury intake? Take a 500 mg Omega-3 supplement with DHA and EPA per day. Want more info? Visit one of my favorite sites.
Now, the bad fats– saturated and trans. Saturated fats raise your cholesterol and LDL. These lurk in full-fat dairy products, meat, and processed items. Trans fats, found in packaged foods and at fast food joints, raise your bad cholesterol (LDL) and decrease your good cholesterol (HDL)! People this is BAD! Since, HDL prevents plaque build-up in your arteries. Basically, HDL is the toothbrush that scrubs away plaque. But, it can only scrub away so much if it is surrounded by junk. When you eat fast food listen carefully and you may hear your arteries crying.
What does this mean? Watch the processed and packaged foods! The foods you know you shouldn’t be eating. This is where the trans and saturated fats lurk. Nix foods with “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” in the label and make sure the nutrition label (not the front of the package) reads “0” Trans fats. Also, up your fiber, exercise, and omega-3 ante to help decrease cholesterol and increase healthy HDL cholesterol…yea! NOTE–having a glass of wine or 1 drink per day may increase your HDL, but 2 or more will NOT do a body good.
Bottom line:
- Eat the monos and the polys
- Get in your Omega-3s
- Watch the processed, packaged garbage
- Limit saturated fats–buy lean cuts of meat, cut off extra fat, remove skin, and broil, bake or grill! And, choose low-fat dairy!
- Fat is still fat–just because it’s a healthy fat doesn’t mean you should go tripling serving sizes
Off to go buy some sunflowers for my “vase.”
Happy Healthifying!
Keep the comments/questions coming!
Corinne
I say goodbye to fad diets, bogus "fat-burning" pills, and processed, non-food food. And, I smile hello to a healthifying lifestyle full of fruits, veggies, and whole grains, sweaty workouts, the occasional "chocolate fix," sleep, family and friend time, and quality "me time" with a focus on health. I look forward to your comments and thoughts as the posts healthify on by!
9 Comments on " Fat is Fat, But is it a Healthy Fat? "
YUM! That olive oil looks delish! Great food tips to get that healthy fat in!
Corinny- What a great post on fats! I really like the layout of your blog, and think your headline is wonderful. How did you get it to look so nice? xoxo J
Yea! Thanks Jess!!! Glad you like! After many hours, numerous forum visits to random web techie websites, the help of Ms. Healthy Blog Snack (http://healthyblogsnack.com/), and Mr. G’s input on the logo…this is what I got!!!…But, I am still learning! Talk soon! xxoo
Would you consider the possibility that saturated fats aren’t as bad as we’ve been taught for the last 30 years? I believed the reigning dogma for all that time, but recently considered new data that have me questioning the Diet-Heart Hypothesis. I summarized my literature search at my Heart Health Blog at NutritionData.com. If interested, here’s the link:
http://blog.nutritiondata.com/heart_health_blog/2009/07/saturated-fats-and-cardiovascular-health.html
-Steve
Hi Steve-Thanks for your question…and I like your post, well done. And, I love the articles you posted.
I agree with you on the fact that the literature is inconsistent or of limited quality patient-oriented evidence, as the American Family Physician would say, on the matter of whether saturated fats and trans fats may increase the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). But, the literature shows that there is a strong correlation or a positive association between saturated fat intake and heart disease as well as cholesterol levels. The same applies for trans fats.
We must also take into consideration that it is now not just the saturated fats that are questioned, but all fat types on CAD. As Weinberg et al (2009) stated in The Diet-Heart Hypothesis: a Critique, “in a systemic review of dietary fat in preventing CAD, Hooper et al. point out: “Despite decades of effort, and many thousands of people randomized, there is still only limited and inconclusive evidence of the effects of modification of total, saturated, mono-unsaturated or poly-saturated fats on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.”
I agree that saturated fat intake is not the “end all be all,” but there are numerous studies that indicate that saturated fat as well as trans do play a role in heart disease. We must keep in mind that studies, which solely isolate saturated fat intake to determine its affect on CAD are difficult, as we both know genes, food intake, lifestyle, exercise/physical activity habits, smoking, sex, age, etc. are all also factors that contribute to CAD. Also, saturated fats are in numerous packaged and processed products along with trans fats, which I do not advocate. Oreos, cheez-its, fried foods, and the like… I just don’t support. Every so often, fine by me…but not as part of a lifestyle or everyday ritual. The amount also comes into play. But, if you want to have a little full-fat cheese, 2% milk with your coffee, or hunk of chocolate as a treat because 90% of your diet is healthful…go ahead–at least, that’s my take.
Basically, the monos and the polys are associated with prevention of heart disease, so I support these. Plus, they are packed with other nutrients, such as vitamin E and perhaps Omega-3s, and are from real, whole foods that can help keep you feeling full. I want people to stay away from the processed, packaged foods that are loaded with salt, sugar, and “bad” fats, which keep you constantly coming back for more…which just isn’t healthy…for your body or heart. But, hey–if you want a piece of full-fat cheese go ahead. I am not a stickler, but want the best for people’s health (as do you!). As of now the science may be “inconsistent” or not 100% supportive on this topic, but the majority of the papers keep me promoting the monos and the polys…for more than just heart health, but whole body health.
Thanks for your comment Steve! And, thanks for the papers…good stuff…Hope you see where I am coming from.
Best,
Corinne
Thanks for the detailed response, Corinne. Hope it didn’t take too much time. I would agree that the majority of expert opinion is against saturated fats. I myself agree that trans fats are particularly odious.
What got me to questioning the evil effects of saturated fat was that I could never find a scientific explanation as to how saturated fats CAUSE atherosclerosis. Sure, saturated fat consumption raises LDL cholesterol levels, but HDL levels too. My understanding is that saturated fats we eat are digested in the intestines (to glycerol and fatty acids) and never make it into the bloodstream as saturated fats.
I did find one article (by Vogel, published about 30 years ago) showing reversible arterial constriction from high-fat meals. That’s as close as an explanation I could find as to how fats might impair circulation.
-Steve
Hi Steve!
Yes, the mechanism behind saturated fats and increased cholesterol levels is still to be determined, but I know one theory is that the saturated fats inhibit the uptake of HDL and LDL, therefore increasing circulating levels of both.
Not sure if there is any substance to this theory, but just thought I would throw that out there!
The comments thus far have been detailed and informative, but perhaps we all are missing the more important questions. For example, for this discussion to take place we must first accept that there are, in fact, good and bad fats. Of course the knee jerk response to this would be to say, everything in moderation, but suppose we step back even further and try to determine how a fat comes to be labeled “good” or “bad.” I would assert that a fat’s goodness or badness is firmly situated within a bio-political discourse which emphasizes life extension as inherently positive. Of course, within this framework life extension is positive in large part because it enhances the capabilities of people as a means of production (a person who is healthier for longer remains an economic producer for longer than someone who dies earlier).
But, I would argue, although the western ideal of life extension has no inherent moral or ethical worth it fails to consider, or at least, diminished other important aspects of food and life such as taste. Not to mention, if death cannot be given any value, positive or negative, since we have no conception of what it entails or any manner to truly describe or think about it, than our western ideal of health is merely a paper doll, a storefront facade, held up by nothing but the refusal to inspect its merits. Of course, bringing death into the subject may just be an immovable object type argument but I think it is worth considering.
None the less, I would firmly assert there is no good or bad fat simply because it is simply impossible to give inherent value to something such as fat is impossible. Perhaps it can only be viewed in individual context or situations. Or perhaps to even consider nutrition as a matter of “health” is flawed.
I’ve touched on a bunch of different topics, each of which should be expounded upon, but I think each requires careful consideration.
And then there is the fact nutrition public health could be considered a largely unethical practice (if you’re willing to say ethics even exist that is).
Thanks.
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
Thanks for your thoughts. Truly good ones. The whole issue of public health nutrition, nutrition education, literature results, ethics, good and bad fats, and the list could go on and on and on… could lend to an epic discussion, and I am sure has! Look at all the articles, books, debates, conferences, etc. By any means, as you mentioned, all topics you brought up are very worthy of attention and simply impossible to address in a blog post! A book perhaps, but not a blog post!
Regarding good and bad fats, you’re right that it is a touchy topic, but based on the literature and the current state of peoples’ health I would not by any means feel comfortable telling anyone to go eat as much trans or saturated fats as they please because not only is the fat “bad,” shall we say, but most likely the products that are high in these are also high in calories, added sugars, salt, additives, and basically, “non-nutritive junk.” I feel that is unethical and extremely irresponsible of a nutrition professional. Personally, I strongly believe nutrition is linked to health and that in whatever country you are, people do want to live longer. Most value life and health and in many countires–perhaps even much more so than the US–people believe health is linked to what they put into their bodies … what they eat. But to each his own. Seems we will have to agree to disagree.
Thanks Aaron.
Hope you’re doing well,
Corinne