A Simple Approach To Dietary Fats
Ancel Keys’ research in the 1950s which concluded that a diet high in fat increased your cardiovascular risk caused a seismic shift in our food habits. Unfortunately, instead of relying on whole foods that were naturally low in fat, such as vegetables and fruits, we focused on creating a whole industry of processed low fat alternatives that were rich in sugar and refined carbohydrates. Low-fat versions of everything from mayonnaise to cakes were created and fiber rich nuts and seeds were marginalized.
In the last decade, there has been a one hundred and eighty degree turn and butter has even graced the covers of some of the most popular magazines of our time. The headlines scream about comebacks as we end our “war on fat”. This and the prevalence of the keto diet, which focuses on fat and protein at the expense of carbohydrates, have contributed significantly to the prevalent state of confusion that exists about our dietary needs.
Cardiovascular risk is a difficult outcome to predict because there are so many factors involved – genetics, diet, lifestyle, exercise being just a few of them. And in the effort to bring research to the general public, the fine print is often overlooked. For example, studies might compare high fat and low- fat diets but will often miss what the people eating a low-fat diet are substituting the fats with. If they are swapped with alternatives high in refined sugar, that would affect the conclusions on health. If the studies included participants with a previous history of cardiovascular or metabolic issues, the results might not be applicable to the general population. As always, any corrections published don’t garner as much press as the original article and conclusions get incorrectly interpreted and over-simplified by the media to produce eye-catching headlines.
Biochemically speaking, not all fat works the same way in our body, in fact the same fat might behave differently in different people. The link between higher saturated fat and an increase in LDL cholesterol particles is true. However, it affects mostly the larger LDL particles which are benign relative to the small dense particles which injure our arteries and form plaques. Meaning, not all LDL is created the same.
We now get to the main question – what information should you believe and what can you actually eat?
Overall, we need to stop worrying about individual nutrients and pay attention to whole foods. A mantra we teach our clients is “Real. Whole. Simple.” Eat real food as close to its whole state as possible cooked in a simple manner. This holds true for fats as well – unless absolutely required because of a health condition, don’t concentrate only on saturated and unsaturated fats, omega 3s and 6s, etc. Instead, include a variety of fats in your diet – nuts, seeds, avocados, olive-, coconut-, grapeseed-, sunflower- and safflower-oils, oily fish and eggs. These have a mixture of fats in varying proportions and focusing on just one source is not advisable. When it comes to cooking with fats, it is more important to use the correct oil for the temperature than one oil for everything. Olive oil has a relatively low smoke point and works well for a quick sauté or in a salad dressing. For higher temperatures, it is better to use coconut-, sunflower-, grapeseed- or safflower oils. When fats are heated above their smoke points, they change their structures to create unnatural trans-fats which are the only type of fats that you should avoid completely.
Fats are essential to our well-being and participate in multiple biochemical pathways and structures in our body. It is vital, therefore, to include these in your diet on a daily basis, but just remember that variety is key!
If you have any questions about this article please do not hesitate to contact us.