Everything You Need To Know About Healthy Fats

Starting in the 70’s and up to the turn of the century, we’ve been told that fat is bad and we should avoid it. Low-fat and no-fat was the way to go. Today science has advanced and we now know that this is not entirely true. In fact, the low-fat, no-fat foods are probably worse for you than the full fat versions! Eggs, cheese, avocado pears, and more, were considered bad and now they’re not. It gets confusing. So what are the facts regarding fats, what are healthy fats and what fats should we avoid?

As far as fats go, there are a number of good, healthy fats and some downright unhealthy ones. Let’s start by looking at the unhealthy fats, so you know what to avoid. Saturated fats and trans fats are the two worst offenders. 

 Of the two, trans fats are by far the most unhealthy. They are found in all processed and packaged foods, such as:

• Margarines and shortenings
• Pastries, biscuits, muffins, doughnuts, cakes, pies, etc.
• Fast, fried foods like take away chicken, ribs, crumbed fish, pizzas, burgers, etc.
• Ready to eat, heat and eat, meals like lasagnas, cottage pies, pastas, etc.
• Refined plant oils, like canola, sunflower, corn, safflower, palm, etc. Here we need to know that cold pressed oils, like sunflower oil, are actually not unhealthy, it’s only the super refined versions you want to avoid.

Basically, you want to avoid anything containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, even if the label claims to be ’trans-fat free’.

Saturated fats are mainly found in red meat, dairy and poultry. Though not nearly as bad as trans fats, you do want to limit your intake. They increase our levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and lower the levels of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). They also cause inflammation, which has been shown to be the underlying cause of many of the ailments affecting us today, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and mental decline. 

Unfortunately in our modern urban societies, most of the meat, dairy and poultry we eat are raised in feedlots or cages. To prevent disease among animals raised in these crowded, unnatural conditions, they are given antibiotics, growth hormones and artificial foods which often contain residues of pesticides, herbicides and other toxins. These contaminants get stored in the fatty tissues of the animals and so we end up eating them. For this reason, it’s best to minimize the amount we consume. Most medical authorities recommend we limit this to a maximum of 10% of our daily calorie intake. The ideal would be to find organic, free roaming, pasture fed sources.

That’s the bad news. Now let’s look at what fats are good for us. Fortunately, there are quite a few and they’re relatively easy to find.

There are two major types, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Each has health benefits for us, so let’s take a look at them in more detail.

First, monounsaturated fats, or more precisely – monounsaturated fatty acids, MUFAs for short.

These are found in:

• Olive, peanut, sunflower and sesame oils (remember to look for the cold pressed oils, not the refined ones)
• Avocados
• Olives
• Almond, peanut, macadamia, hazelnut, pecan, cashew and pistachio nuts
• Peanut butter (without hydrogenated oils added)
• Sunflower and pumpkin seeds

The health benefits of MUFAs are multiple.

1. They have been shown to assist in weight loss.

This may seem odd, as fats contain more than twice the number of calories than carbohydrates, 9 calories per gram as opposed to 4 calories per gram of carbs. However, fats make us feel fuller quicker than carbs do and so we tend to eat less. So as long as you’re not eating more calories than you’re burning, a diet with medium to high MUFAs can help you to lose weight.

A review of 24 studies showed that high MUFAs diets were slightly more effective than high carb diets for weight loss. So something like a KETO diet could be a viable option if you need to lose weight.

2. They help lower the risk of heart disease.

A number of studies have shown that a diet high in MUFAs can help to lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, both of which have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease. Other studies have shown that they also help to increase the levels of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) in the blood.

Still, other studies have shown that a high MUFA diet may help lower blood pressure levels, again reducing the risk of heart disease.

3. They help reduce the risk of cancer.

A number of studies from around the world have shown that a diet high in MUFAs may help to reduce the risk of prostate and breast cancer, two of the most common cancers. However there is some debate as to whether it was the MUFAs themselves, or other compounds in the MUFA containing foods that actually provided the benefit. Either way, the cancer risk was lowered.

4. They help to increase insulin sensitivity.

Diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions in the world today. The World Health Organization estimates that diabetes affected approximately 422 million people in 2018, resulting in about 1.6 million deaths. Part of the problem is insulin resistance, a condition where the cells become resistant to insulin. Studies have shown that diets high in MUFAs help to reduce this by increasing the cells’ sensitivity to insulin, helping to lower blood sugar levels.

Next are the polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs.

There are two major PUFAs - Omega 3 and Omega 6. Both play a significant role in our health. Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory while Omega 6 causes inflammation. The problem facing us today in the Western world is that we have an overabundance of Omega 6 in our diets. Science is telling us that the ideal ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 should be 1:1. A ratio of 1:4 would be passable, but the reality is most people eating Western diets have a ratio of, on average, 1:17 and often a lot worse. This has led to chronic, low grade inflammation which is now implicated as the underlying cause of all chronic diseases.

Omega 6 is found in plant based oils, which are used in all manufactured foods, such as margarines, mayonnaise, salad dressings, baked goods and all fast and convenience foods.  We want to cut down our intake of Omega 6 radically while at the same time increasing our intake of Omega 3. For this reason never buy a supplement containing 3 & 6!

Omega 3 is one of the nutrients that every single person should be supplementing. It has a long list of health benefits, from heart health to brain health and lots in between. 

 Good sources of Omega 3 are: 

• Cold water fatty fish, like salmon, anchovies, mackerel, herring, sardines and tuna. Choose fresh wild, not farmed fish, for maximum benefits. 
• Certain vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale and spinach.
• Nuts and seeds like walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds and hemp seeds.  

One could write an entire book on Omega 3 and in fact there are a number of books published on it. Here are a few of the proven health benefits:

1. It’s vital for creating new life. 

Omega 3 is critical for the development of the brain and eyes of the fetus. Research has also found that omega 3, especially in the last trimester, can improve a baby's cognitive, motor and sensory development. It can help reduce the risk of miscarriages and prevent postpartum depression in mums.

2. It’s great for your heart.

Omega 3 has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes by lowering LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, increasing HDL levels and lowering blood pressure. 

3. It helps with weight loss.

 Omega 3 assists weight loss in a number of ways: 

• It helps the body to convert fat to energy whilst exercising. 
• It increases the metabolic rate, which helps the body burn off excess calories instead of storing them as fat.
• It reduces cortisol levels, which can cause fat storage.

4. It improves brain health, slows mental decline and can help with ADHD.

Omega 3 helps with concentration, cognitive ability, improves problem solving and reasoning, slows mental decline and can be effective for helping calm ADHD children. In fact, one study showed that children given an Omega 3 supplement before school improved their reading age by over 100% and their spelling age by over 300% in just 3 months. 

5. It helps prevent arthritis and can lessen the stiffness and pain associated with the condition.  

Because Omega 3 is a natural anti-inflammatory, it helps reduce swelling in the joints leading to increased mobility and reducing the pain and discomfort that arthritis sufferers experience.

6. It helps with depression.

Omega 3 has been shown to reduce the risk of depression and the frequency and severity of depressive episodes. Omega 3 also helps symptoms like panic attacks, restlessness, suicidal tendencies, decreased sex drive and despondency. 

In conclusion, not all fats are bad for us. We need to eliminate, or at least cut down, our intake of the bad fats, the trans  and the saturated fats, and increase our intake of the good fats. Excitingly, it’s quite simple to do this without having to know a lot of technical stuff. Simply avoid processed, packaged, convenience and junk foods and increase your intake of fresh, whole foods. Choose foods as close to the way they are in nature- fruit, vegetables, cold pressed oils and organic meats, dairy and poultry. Eat more cold water fatty fish and supplement with a good quality Omega 3 supplement that is certified contaminant free.  The bottom line is - increasing our intake of good fats will have a positive effect on our health and well being.