Fats and Why We Need Them

Fatty Fat-Fats

Saturated fat has been given such a bad rap over the years.  The common belief was that saturated fat was responsible for heart disease.  This is actually not entirely true.  Saturated fat is actually essential for our health.  Foods high in saturated fats were actually a key part of our Paleolithic ancestors.  These fats are healthy for us, however, we need to keep our saturated fats in balance with unsaturated fats, as well as keeping sugars and processed carbs down.

Different Fat Types

For most people, the discussion on fats can be confusing.  However, the main types of fat are:

1. Saturated fats from animal fats and tropical oils such as coconut and palm oil
2. Monounsaturated fats such as olive oil
3. Polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3 and omega-6 oils
4. Trans fats such as margarine

Probably one of the healthiest fats you hear a lot about the media today are omega-3 fats.  It is common knowledge now to know that deficiency in this essential fat can cause or contribute to many serious health problems.  It can also inhibit the body's ability to burn fat.

Having a proper balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fats is very important for optimal health. So not only increasing omega-3 fats is of upmost importance, you should also look at reducing omega-6 fats from your diet.  The ideal ratio of these two fats is considered 1:1, however the diet of the average person can look more like 1:16 to 1:20 in favour of omega-6.  The most common sources of Omega-6 fats are found in:

• Corn oil
• Soy oil 
• Canola oil 
• Safflower oil
• Sunflower oil
• Peanuts and peanut oil / butter

Saturated Fat are Essential for Optimal Function

Saturated fats provide a number of important health benefits.  In fact your body cannot function without saturated fats.  This particular fat is needed for the proper function of:

• Cell membranes
• Liver
• Immune system
• Heart
• Lungs
• Bones
• Hormones

Fats also increase satiety, which means it you will eat less food due to the fullness effect.

Although saturated fats are essential, it is important that you try get them from animals that are hormone-free and grass-fed.  Below are a few more Healthy Fats that you may want to include your diet:

• Olives and olive oil
• Coconut and coconut oil
• Organic Butter
• Avocados or avocado oil
• Palm oil
• Organic egg yolks
• Raw nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, cashews
• Grass fed meats

What makes us Fat?

So, if saturated fats are healthy for us, what is considered unhealthy for us?  When you replace saturated fat with a higher carbohydrate intake, particularly refined carbohydrates, you exacerbate insulin resistance and obesity, increase triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, and reduce the beneficial HDL cholesterol.

Basically to summarise up, eating fat and protein does not make you fat – carbohydrates do.  If you are really concerned about your overall health, and want to reduce your risk for diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease, what you need to do is:

1. Restrict carbohydrate consumption in your diet, mainly sugars, fructose, and grains.  AND
2. Increase your healthy fat consumption