Fat: Good, Bad or Ugly?

In a nutshell….. We can’t live without the fat our body needs

•Fat comprises 50% of our cell membranes•Fat provides fuel to every cell, tissue, gland and organ in our body•Fat helps our food digest, our hearts beat,our brains think and feel.•Fats are vital to every structure within the body

In a nutshell….. We can’t live without the fat our body needs

•Fat comprises 50% of our cell membranes•Fat provides fuel to every cell, tissue, gland and organ in our body•Fat helps our food digest,our hearts beat,our brains think and feel.•Fats are vital to every structure within the body.

Where did we go wrong?

From fabulous fats to factory fats

Sally Fallon and Mary Enig: Nourishing Traditions

stable stable

What happens when real fats are processed into “factory fats”?

– They move into all of the places where real fats belong - brain, heart, arteries, cells, skin, reproductive organs – and contribute to heart disease, cancer, inflammation, skin conditions and reproductive difficulties

– they are guilty of trespassing, obstruction of nutrition, fraud, and generalized mayhem

– The usual suspects:

In a recent survey, five popular restaurant or takeout foods were randomly selected and analyzed for their trans fat content. Trans fats were found in all of the products that were tested:

• Five small chicken nuggets from a fast food chicken outlet contained nearly 4 grams of trans fat.

• An apple danish from a donut shop contained about 2.7 grams of trans fat.

• Just one fillet of battered fish from a fish and chips restaurant dinner contained about 1.2 grams of trans fat -- and that's not including the trans fat in the French fries.

(One tablespoon of shortening contains 4.2 grams of transfat)

www.bantransfats.com

So where do we get real fat?

– Nuts and seeds– Fatty fruits like olives, avocadoes, and

coconut– Fatty fish– Organic whole milk, cream and butter– Unrefined oils

What is real fat composed of?

Fatty acids•Saturated fatty acids•Monounsaturated fatty acids•Polyunsaturated fatty acids

•Omega 3 fatty acids•Omega 6 fatty acids•Omega 9 fatty acids

Essential fatty acids

Omega 3 Omega 6

Which fats are fabulous?

Which fats are fabulous?

Omega 3 fatty acids (ALA, EPA, DHA) found in:Flax oil

Hemp oilWalnuts/Walnut Oil

Fish oil

Omega 6 fatty acids (GLA) found in:Borage seed oilBlack current oil

Evening Primrose Oil

Omega 9 fatty acids found in:Olive Oil

Rice Bran OilAvocadoes

Coconut OilRaw Milk and Butter

What fabulous fats can do for you

Life Extension Foundation: www.lef.org

Maintain flexible cell membranes

Reduce inflammation

Turning inflammation on…

•Hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, Oils, trans fatty acids

•Too many Omega 6 fats, not enoughOmega 3 fats

Turning inflammation on…

Turning inflammation on… and off

Fabulous Fats Normalize blood lipids

• Regulate total cholesterol levels• Raise HDL(good) cholesterol levels• Lower triglycerides (blood fat)• Lower C – Reactive Protein (inflammatory marker)• Lower fibrinogen (clotting factor)• Normalize glucose levels (blood sugar)

Thousands of studies document these effects.

Diane H. Morris, PhD, RD: Flax - A Health and Nutrition Primer http://www.natureshealthypeople.com/library_flax.html

Normalize body fat

Udo Erasmus: Choosing the Right Fats; Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill

Hair, Skin and Nails

Weather Report: Partly Flaky with Large Scaly Patches

Enhance brain function

Moderate mood

“Those with severe depression registered much lower levels of Omega 3 fatty acids in their blood.” Journal of Affective Disorders, Vol. 48, 1998

Provide vitamin and mineral transport to bones and other tissues

•Vitamin D •Vitamin K •Calcium

Where do I get ‘em?

Best sources are:

•Wild salmon or halibut

•Anchovies, sardines

•Flax, pumpkin, perilla, chia seeds

•Walnuts

•Fish oil capsules (free of mercury, dioxin, PCBs)

What next? First, throw ‘em away!

•Fries•Chips•Donuts•Supermarket desserts•Margarine•Shortening•Crackers•Anything that says “partially hydrogenated” on the label•Supermarket oils

•Corn oil•Soybean oil•Safflower oil

Organic only

What’s next? Oil Change!

Will real fat make you fat? No!

• Adding or losing pounds is dependent on metabolic rate

• Good fats provide efficient energy, speeding up metabolic rate

• Processed carbohydrates create excess sugar in the blood, activating insulin and slowing down metabolic rate

In short… fats make fabulous friends, but….

Choose your friendswisely!

recommended…• Cod Liver Oil (Nordic Naturals, Carlson) (liquid)• Omega Synergy (mixed Omegas) – Designs for

Health (www.designsforhealth.com)• Neptune Krill Oil (Omega 3 + carotenoids)• Beyond Essential Fats (liquid) (

www.naturahealthproducts.com)• Flax chocolate bars (www.nutiva.com)• PaleoBars with Omega 3s and coconut oil (

www.designsforhealth.com)