The Difference Between Dietary Fats
- Michael Cockrum
- Mar 20, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 30, 2020
Tips about the different types of fat: A basic introduction
Saturated Fats: Should be limited. Increase LDL(bad), Decrease HDL("good"). Why should you care? Higher LDL levels increase your risk of Heart Disease, the #1 cause of deaths in America. Saturated fats are found in most animal products and tropical oils (coconut oil).
Saturated fats also increase inflammation in the body, possibly through activation of TLR4 or related mechanism. Increased inflammation is the basis for many diseases that will be mentioned below in the Omega-6/ Omega-3 ratio section. When discussing heart disease inflammation is particularly bad because of the resulting increase of oxidized LDL, and chlyomicron remnants. This leads to more damage to blood vessels in the heart and the formation of more atherosclerotic plaque.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5293238/ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31928080 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5946217/
Trans Fat: Eliminate completely. Made from hydrogenation of plant oils, useful for increasing shelf life and keeping solid at room temperature. Also have similar effects as Saturated fats: inflammation, increased LDL.
Essential Fatty acids: Humans can not produce Omega 6 and Omega 3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids because we lack certain enzymes.
Omega 6 Fatty Acids: Necessary for production of proinflammatory eicosanoids (inflammatory process). Arachidonic acid is a precursor for endocannabinoids (connection to increased adiposity). High in most nuts and plant oils. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3889814/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4808858/
Omega 3 Fatty Acids:
Necessary for production of anti-inflammatory molecules also in brain and eye health. Can be found in fish, although fish cannot produce omega 3 fatty acids. Fish obtain omega 3's from eating algae, or farm fish(also chickens) are fed high flaxseed diets(plant) to increase their omega 3 content. Other sources include chia seeds, walnuts, and algae oil supplementation. Fish oil supplements can be used, but why not cut out the middle man since the initial source is algae? Fish bioaccumulate toxins such as PCBs and mercury which can accumulate in fatty tissues. Supplement companies are not regulated by the FDA and these can be present in the fish oil supplements. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4408738/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23281830 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16700427/
Why should you care?
A diet with a high Omega 6/Omega 3 ratio results in increases in body fat, and inflammation. This increases the incidence of Obesity(hyperactivity of cannabinoid system), type 2 diabetes(obesity and inflammation, heart disease(obesity and inflammation), rheumatoid arthritis(inflammation), and Alzheimer's disease(inflammation). An ideal ratio is closer to 4:1, most Americans are around 20:1 or higher. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4808858/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3335257/
How do you keep your Omega 6/Omega 3 ratio lower?
Although plant oils are essential it is best to consume them in the whole plant form along with all the other nutrients present and fiber. Try to avoid or reduce the amount of processed foods you eat. When you cook use as little added oil as possible, spray oil is useful to prevent burning and reduce unnecessary intake. This will also help you cut down on calories if your goal is to reduce body fat. 1Tbsp of olive oil provides around 16g of Fat (144 calories). If you use around 1Tbsp of oil each meal that is around 432 calories. If your goal is weight loss your goal should be to aim for a caloric deficit of 500 cal/day to lose 1Ib per week.
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Thanks for reading. If you have any questions please feel free to ask me @ mcockrumfitness@gmail.com
-Michael
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