Everything About Fat

Doug DiPasquale
Sott.net
Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:11 CDT


Probably More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Fat and Thought You Already Knew, But Didn't

Ideas seem to have a way of ingraining themselves in mass consciousness such that it is difficult, if not
impossible, to uproot them. Get enough people behind an idea and the idea becomes "truth", even if it
has no basis in objective reality. Like some kind of weed that grows in the gardens of people's
imaginations, ideas, even if they're wrong, can be quite persistent. Gardeners of truth may work hard in
the garden of the mind to remove these weeds, yet their deep roots may often evade the well-
intentioned gardener. Tireless efforts often seem successful, only for the same tired idea to poke its
head up through the undergrowth once more. This brings the stark realization that the weed was never
gone at all, but its roots were merely hidden from view, growing ever more expansive beneath the
surface.

After nearly a century of the 'fat is evil' weed, gardeners of truth may finally be making some headway
in the garden of the collective mind. Since the inception of the 'lipid hypothesis', researchers,
nutritionists and journalists alike have been pulling up this weed, exposing the logical inconsistencies
of tying natural fats to disease.

Decades of low-fat diets have failed to slow a rising obesity epidemic or stem the tide of widespread
chronic disease. In fact, new research presented at the American Dietetic Association's Annual Food
and Nutrition Conference in Boston shows that a low-fat diet is actually dangerous. Swapping out
natural high-fat foods for their processed counterparts leads to a diet high in refined carbohydrates
(sugar), additives and other dangerous ingredients that are probably the actual culprits in our growing
epidemic of poor health. Thankfully, some of the more aware among us are beginning to realize that
the dietary recommendations given to us by our governments, our doctors and our dietitians over the
past 3 generations simply do not work.

Yet the roots of the weeds are still present. Never in the history of human nutritional science has one
macronutrient been so maligned, so misunderstood and so falsely accused as fat has been post-World
War II. The idea that fat not only makes you fat, but blocks up your arteries, raises your cholesterol to
dangerous levels, gives you diabetes and heart disease, and causes strokes and all sorts of cancers is
not easy to vanquish. Even when presented with the science, the logical arguments that show eating
the right fat is neither dangerous nor unhealthy (and mightily delicious at that), people are still
extremely tentative in their consumption and experts are still ultra-conservative in their
recommendations.

In the days of our great-grandparents, before obesity epidemics and plagues of chronic disease, fat
consumption was abundant. Animal fats were valued for their ability to withstand high temperatures
and add delectable flavor and texture to meals. It wasn't until the rise of seed oils - oils much less fit for
human consumption in large quantities and removed from their original whole source - that our health
began to fail. The advertising of these seed oils propagated then, and still to this day, tries to convince
us that they are the healthy alternative to 'dangerous' animal fats. And yet, as their consumption
increases, so too do chronic disease rates.

Recommendations from the 'experts', firmly entrenched in this seemingly unmovable meme, have
continued to demonize animal fats in favor of vegetable oils. If you're getting sick, you're obviously not
following these recommendations to the letter. And if you are, then it's time to make the
recommendations even more stringent, allowing for less animal fat; indeed, less fat altogether.

As time has worn on in this anti-fat regime, 'health foods' have become more and more bland in favor
of lower target numbers of fat on nutrition labels. Every chef knows that fat equals flavor. To replace
these natural flavorful nutrients, it's necessary to fool our tongues with something. Thus these flavor-
enhancing chemicals, particularly monosodium glutamate, have become a necessity for anyone to
actually moderately enjoy what essentially amounts to low-calorie, low-fat cardboard. Sugar, or, more
likely, high-fructose corn syrup, now saturates every processed food on the grocery store shelf. All in
the name of your 'health', of course.

The question is, can we go back to a time when fats were valued for what they are - delicious,
nutritious, nutrient-dense components of our diets? There is abundant research showing the benefit of
fats, saturated fats from animal sources in particular. Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary
Taubes, Know Your Fats by Dr. Mary G. Enig, 'The Whole Health Source' blog done by Stephan
Guyenet, a number of articles by Dr. Joseph Mercola on www.mercola.com, along with thousands of
other books, blogs and articles, present the well-reasoned, scientifically-grounded arguments for
abundant fat consumption. These arguments are reaching millions. And still, we hesitate.

In a way, this hesitation is understandable. We're still surrounded on all sides by half-truths and
misrepresentations when it comes to the topic of fats. Advertising copy, rumors and hearsay make up
most of the sources of information on health and nutrition in the modern landscape. On the other hand,
we have doctors untrained in nutrition and articles written by journalists with only a peripheral
understanding of this complex topic. Most information heard in the media is simply a retreading of
previously-heard information, while little critical thought or analysis is added to the debate. Indeed, no
critical debate seems to exist.

But the word is getting out. Some have switched back from margarine to natural healthy butter. Some
have even gone so far as to ditch the highly-refined vegetable oils supposedly good for cooking in
favor of coconut oil (gasp, a saturated fat!). Some experts are petitioning the Food and Drug
Administration in the U.S. to remove the total fat counts from nutritional labels.

Yet few have truly embraced the new fat renaissance. You still have to search far and wide in North
America for preservative-free, non-hydrogenated lard, for instance. Ask your butcher for beef tallow
and he's likely to raise a brow before 'seeing what he can do'. Animal fats, while available by the quart
in France for example, are only found in high-end food stores here in North America, in small
quantities and for high prices. Because seed oils are still the norm, it just can't be imagined that
someone would want to use animal fats for anything other than the most indulgent treat on the rarest
of occasions, despite the fact that grandma used to use it for everything from frying taters to making
pie crust.


Animal fat is among the healthiest fats you can eat.
Know Your Fats

Despite an increasing appreciation for dietary fat, using fats in the wrong way can, indeed, lead to ill
health and damage the body. There are fats out there that can have all the negative effects which fat
as a whole has been accused of having for the past several decades. Likewise, healthy fats treated in
the wrong way can be as equally damaging. The fat revolution doesn't imply that extra mayo should go
on that BLT, and it certainly doesn't suddenly transform fast food joint french fries into a health food.

Understand that the vast majority of what we hear about fat - in the media, from our friends, even from
our doctors - is simply wrong. The 'fat-is-evil' weed is so ingrained in our collective consciousness that
fat recommendations are still overcautious. Even alternative health professionals often hedge their
recommendations with warnings about eating too much fat and it's still rare to find an 'expert'
recommending saturated fat consumption. Word is spreading, but it has yet to reach everyone and,
unfortunately, the people with the loudest voice seem to be the last to get hip to the truth.

Thus, the first order in getting our society turned around on fat is education. To get a healthy
relationship with fat, we need to have a healthy understanding of fat. Knowing the rules, and why the
rules apply, means never being confused about which 'health' foods are actually healthy and which
'junk' foods are actually the ones to be eating. Seeing through the hype on fats is key.

Before we get into the technical details on why some fats are good and some are bad, here's a quick
rundown on how to identify certain fats and oils and how best to deal with them:
Polyunsaturated Fats - These are usually from nut and seed oils. You can tell whether an oil is
mostly made up of polyunsaturated fats if it stays liquid even when it's put in the fridge. They are often
referred to as 'essential fats' or 'essential fatty acids' (EFAs) because they are needed for the proper
functioning of our bodies, but they cannot be created from other fats. You also hear them referred to as
omega-3s or omega-6s. However, polyunsaturated fats should never be used for cooking or otherwise
heated. These fats are quite delicate and can easily go rancid, turning them into harmful oils which
promote disease. As such, they need to be protected from heat, light and even air. Polyunsaturated
oils should be sold in a dark bottle, only be 'cold pressed' (i.e. no heat is used in the extraction
process) and should never be used as a cooking oil. Unfortunately, the oils from the grocery store sold
in clear plastic bottles for the express purpose of cooking are all polyunsaturated oils!

Polyunsaturated Fats include - safflower oil, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, hemp seed oil,
flaxseed oil, borage oil, fish oils

Best used for - cold applications only: salads, smoothies, supplements (as with flaxseed or fish oil)

Look for - dark bottles, sold in the refrigerated section, cold pressed, organic
Monounsaturated Fats - These fats are found in some vegetables, nuts and fruits and make up a
good part of the fats found in meats. They are a little bit heartier than polyunsaturated oils and can be
used for some light-heat applications like light sauting or baking. The most common vegetable-
sourced monounsaturated fat is olive oil. You can tell whether an oil is mostly monounsaturated fats
because it becomes gelatinous and sludgy when put in the fridge but stays liquid at room temperature.

Monounsaturated Fats include - olive oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, hazelnut oil

Best used for - cold applications like salads, dips or pestos; light sauting or some baking

Look for - dark glass bottles, cold pressed, organic
Saturated Fat - Don't believe the hype - saturated fat is good for you! Despite almost a century of
dietary recommendations against intake of saturated fat, the public is finally starting to catch up with
what some researchers and holistic health professionals have known all along: that saturated fat
consumption actually promotes health. Saturated fats are found in meats, some dairy products, and
eggs, as well as some tropical vegetables. They are ideal for cooking as they can withstand much
higher temperatures than other oils. You know a fat is saturated if it is solid or semi-solid at room
temperature.

Saturated Fats include - duck fat, goose fat, beef tallow, butter, ghee, lard (pork fat), coconut oil,
palm kernel oil, and red palm oil. Note: duck fat and lard actually have a higher content of
monounsaturated fats than saturated fats but are grouped in with saturated fats since they make up a
third or more of their total fat, and because everyone thinks that animal fats are entirely saturated; an
unfortunate misconception.

Best used for - all high-heat applications including searing, frying, deep or shallow-frying, baking, etc.

Look for - organic
Fats to avoid at all costs - all polyunsaturated oils sold for cooking, anything sold in clear plastic
bottles, margarines or other tub spreads, any hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, trans fats,
interesterified fats, vegetable shortening, 'vegetable oil', cottonseed oil, all genetically modified oils like
canola oil, corn oil and soy oil.
There were, more than likely, a few surprises for the reader in the above outline. The truth about how
to best use fats has been so subverted that we don't recognize it when we see it. The vast majority of
the fats and oils on my "No" list are the exact oils you find in 90% of processed foods on the market.
We're encouraged to cook with the fats that are most easily damaged by heat, thereby causing harm
when consumed, while we're told to avoid the fats that are actually good for cooking!

The remainder of this article is going to be looking at why the outline above is true. In order to do that,
we first need to examine the chemistry of fats. The molecular structure of fats is what gives them their
unique properties; what makes some right for cooking, others right for supplementing and others good
for little more than oiling your bike chain.

Firstly, the nomenclature. Lipid is the scientific name for fat. The term fat generally refers to lipids that
are relatively solid at room temperature, while those that are liquid at room temperature are called oils.
This isn't a hard-and-fast rule, however, as the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, and
the term fat is often used to denote any lipid.

On a microscopic level, fatty acids are bonded carbon chains connected to an acid group (carboxyl
group). The carbon atoms in the chain are either bonded to other carbons or to hydrogen atoms. A
carbon chain which has all available bonds taken up by hydrogen atoms is said to be saturated,
because no more hydrogen could possibly be added to the chain. But, if some of the available bonds
are used to form double bonds with carbon atoms in the chain, these fatty acids are said to be
unsaturated, since more hydrogen atoms could potentially still fit in. A fatty acid with one double bond
is called monounsaturated, while fatty acids with more than one double bond are polyunsaturated.


Examples of saturated and unsaturated fats, Palmitic Acid and Palmitoleic Acid respectively
The position where the first double bond shows up in the chain determines how we name it. If the first
double bond comes after the third carbon, it's called an omega-3 fat (w3). If it's in the sixth position, it's
an omega-6 (w6) and in the ninth, an omega-9 (w9). This isn't just for labeling purposes - these fats
have very different properties and need to be distinguished. Unsaturated fats can have as many as six
double bonds in the chain. The more double bonds, the more delicate and unstable.

A fat molecule, as distinguished from individual fatty acids, is composed of three fatty acid molecules
bonded to a glycerol molecule. This is called a triglyceride and it is generally the form in which you find
fats in nature. When we digest fats, enzymes in our digestive tract break the fatty acids away from the
glycerol molecule and the individual fatty acids are absorbed. Which fatty acids are present in a
triglyceride molecule determines the fat's characteristics, including its shape, its behavior and its
stability.


Omega-3 fatty acid Stearidonic Acid and Omega-6 fatty acid Gamma-Linolenic Acid
Why am I going into this much detail, you may ask?! Because the molecular structure of the fatty acid
dictates its characteristics - how it behaves when heated, when refrigerated, when exposed to light
and, of course, what the body does with it when consumed. In a word, structure is everything. The key
to understanding your fats and what to do with them lies in understanding their structure.

Unsaturated Fats

When double bonds are present in a fatty acid it is said to be unsaturated, since some of the bonds are
doubled up between the carbon atoms and are therefore not occupied by hydrogen. These double
bonds in the fatty acid chains make the chain bend. The more double bonds, the more kinky or bent
the fatty acid is.

The double bonds make the properties of unsaturated fats quite different from saturated fats. Because
the molecules are bent, they can't stack. They therefore remain in a loose formation and are liquid on a
macroscopic level. The double bonds also carry a slight negative charge, meaning the fatty acids repel
each other slightly. The more unsaturated fatty acids present in a lipid, the more liquid it is.
Monounsaturated fats, like the predominant fat in olive oil, oleic acid, have only one double bond. It's
therefore liquid at room temperature and gets sludgy when chilled. On the other hand, flaxseed oil,
which is predominantly an omega-3 fat called alpha linolenic acid, has three double bonds. It's
therefore liquid at room temperature and in the fridge.

Double bonds are quite delicate and susceptible to oxidation. This can happen when they're exposed
to heat, or even light, in the presence of oxygen. Since heat-free, light-free, oxygen-free conditions are
difficult to find here on the surface of our planet, Mother Nature was smart enough to pair these oils
with antioxidant molecules for protection. For example, plant foods rich in unsaturated fats are often
good sources of vitamin E, the fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin that can protect the fragile double bonds
from free radical damage.

A damaged double bond means the fat is rancid. Rancid fats are actually quite dangerous to eat,
causing free radical formation that can cause damage to cells. Damage to the DNA within the cell can
cause mutations in the genetic structure and lead to cancer. Fortunately, we've been equipped with a
means o detecting a rancid oil - our nose. Rancid oils smell spoiled. If you do end up eating one, they
taste spoiled too.


Polyunsaturated oils sold for cooking are the worst for your health
Processing to extract polyunsaturated oils, usually from seeds, grains or nuts, inevitably damages the
antioxidants, making the oils highly volatile and causing them to readily turn rancid. Some processors
are mindful of this and use cold pressing and minimal refining processes to keep these oils from
becoming damaged. These oils are usually only found in health food stores, and are sold in the
refrigerator and in dark bottles to protect the oils.

However, such well-processed oils constitute the minority. Most polyunsaturated oils are processed
extensively to maximize extraction. The seeds are heated, then distilled, refined, bleached and
deodorized. This process damages the antioxidants and damages the oils themselves. A preservative
chemical, such as the carcinogenic BHA or BHT, is generally added to replace the lost antioxidants
and to prevent further spoilage. But make no mistake, these oils are rancid from the get-go. The only
reason you can't tell is because they have been deodorized and ultra-refined. They are not fit for
human consumption!

Essential Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fats and omega-6 fats are referred to as Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). This is because our
body is unable to make them from existing fats. Our bodies, for example, can create the w9 fat oleic
acid by inserting a double bond into the ninth position of the saturated fat stearic acid. But our bodies
are unable to insert a double bond at the w3 or w6 position. Therefore, it is essential that these fats be
present in the diet.

There is some disagreement among researchers as to how much of these essential fats are needed in
the diet. Bodily needs vary according to time of year, level of physical activity and other nutrients in the
diet, among other confounding factors. Some say the ratio between w6 and w3 is equally important,
perhaps more important, than the actual quantity in the diet. But even the ideal ratio is up for debate.
Some researchers put the ratio anywhere from 5:1 up to 2:1 or 1:1 of w6 to w3.

As a general guideline, the Western diet tends to be extremely high in w6 consumption and extremely
low in w3. The ratio is said to be as much as 20:1 or greater. Part of this can be blamed on the
extensive use of processed vegetable oils which are high in w6 and low in, or completely void of, w3.
Because w3 fats are more delicate, having more double bonds they turn rancid more easily. For this
reason, they are often removed in the processing of vegetable oils.

Another reason for this disequilibrium in the EFA ratio could be the widely propagated
recommendation to favor poultry instead of red meats. Chicken fat has a 20:1 ratio of w6 to w3,
whereas beef is closer to 4:1. And fish consumption, which is very high in w3 fats, tends to be low in
developed nations.

Whatever the reason, it is generally recommended that individuals supplement w3 fats and avoid
supplementing w6 (enough is found in the diet that they do not need to be supplemented). Omega-6
fats convert to inflammatory prostaglandins in the body and, while some inflammation is necessary, too
many inflammatory fats can lead to chronic inflammation. Conversely, w3 fats are converted to
anti-inflammatory prostaglandins in the body and are thus highly essential. Is it any wonder that
widespread chronic inflammation has become epidemic in the last hundred years?

In order to balance this ratio, supplementation with w3s should be undertaken. While w3s from
vegetable sources, like flaxseed oil or chia oil, are certainly beneficial, the body needs to convert these
fats to the usable forms of EPA and DHA (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid,
respectively). While some researchers feel this conversion is not an issue for concern, other research
has shown that relying solely on vegetable sources for w3 fatty acids will not provide enough of the
important EPA and DHA. Because it is an excellent source of both EPA and DHA, it is highly
recommended that fish oil be used as a supplement.

EPA and DHA keep blood platelets from becoming sticky, which results in blood becoming more prone
to clotting. They have also been found to lower the necessity for repair proteins in the blood, a build-up
of which leads to atherosclerosis (that's right, fat is good for the heart!). EPA and DHA also lower
levels of blood triglycerides, LDL and VLDL cholesterol, decreasing hypertension and the risk of
strokes and heart attacks. In animal studies, w3 fish oils have also been found to inhibit the growth of
tumors.

Saturated Fats

Saturated fats, being completely saturated with hydrogen atoms, are straight chains and are very
stable. They don't carry an electrical charge and are thus used mostly for energy and maintaining cell
structure in the human body. Because they are straight lines, they stack quite easily, which is why they
are solid even at room temperature.


Molecular structure of Stearic Acid, a saturated fat
The case against saturated fat has been showing kinks in its armor ever since it was dropped on the
scene over half a century ago. Researcher Ancel Keys first proposed what would later be called 'the
lipid hypothesis' with a study showing a strong correlation between heart disease and saturated fat
consumption. As it happens, the study was a complete fraud; Keys chose not to include the abundant
evidence that went against his tidy correlation. It wasn't that he didn't have the evidence; he just chose
not to publish it.

Even at the time, a number of researchers spoke out against the lipid hypothesis, but they were
drowned out by the din of food processors and seed oil manufacturers all advertising the benefits of
their fats over "dangerous" saturated fats. Not only was margarine now cheaper, it was "healthier".

A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition speaks volumes: "Our meta-
analysis showed that there is insufficient evidence from prospective epidemiologic studies to conclude
that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CHD, stroke, or CVD," writes Dr.
Ronald Krauss, lead researcher from Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute in California.
These researchers pooled data from 21 different studies, looking at almost 350,000 subjects and found
no relationship between disease and saturated fat consumption.

Another study out of Japan, also published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, presented a
startling blow to the lipid hypothesis. Subjects eating the most saturated fat in the study had no
increased risk of death due to cardiac event or subarachnoid hemorrhage and had a 31% reduced risk
of all types of stroke. Furthermore, those with the higher intakes of saturated fat had a reduced risk of
death from cardiovascular disease.

The lipid hypothesis is responsible for huge changes in the foods we eat. Overall, the consumption of
animal fat between 1910 and 1970 decreased by 21%, and yet heart disease rates increased
exponentially. Meanwhile consumption of margarine has increased 800%, vegetable shortening 275%
and salad and cooking oils increased 1,450% between 1909 and 1999. There is clearly something
wrong with the lipid hypothesis.

While polyunsaturated oils are technically "heart healthy," they are not needed in the massive
quantities currently consumed. This is where a critical error in fat recommendations comes into play.
Just because something is good for us, like w3 and w6 fats, does that mean we should consume lots
of it?

If we consider the fact that the majority of polyunsaturates are consumed in the form of refined seed
oils, as cooking oil, margarine spreads and in processed foods, we can see why we might be
encountering our current health problems as a society (even leaving aside hydrogenation, which we'll
address below). Seed oils, without the aid of industrial processing, would only ever be consumed in
minuscule amounts as part of an entire seed. It is only with industrialization, with the ability to process
huge quantities of seeds in order to extract their oil, that we've begun to see mass consumption of
these seed oils. Prior to this, most polyunsaturated oils came from meat consumption, in relatively
small quantities compared to saturates and monounsaturates. If we allow that the epidemic of chronic
disease is a modern phenomenon, perhaps it's time to consider that this is the kind of fat consumption
that most suits us as a species?

The case against saturated fat has always been weak. How can a macronutrient that has been a major
component of the human food chain for hundreds of thousands of years be harmful? How, in all that
time, did we not evolve to take this food in without doing harm to ourselves? The answer is simple -
saturated fat is not harmful in the human diet. It does not require moderation or careful measurement.
It can be eaten with abandon.

Stearic acid, the main saturated fat found in beef, lamb and other meats, is easily converted by the
body into oleic acid, the much-hyped monounsaturated oil found in "heart healthy" olive oil. Lauric acid,
the main saturated fat found in coconut oil, has antibacterial and antiviral properties that make it highly
valuable in the diets of those who eat coconut regularly. Butyric acid, the saturated fat found in butter,
is used as fuel for the cells of the colon and was found to increase mitochondrial activity (energy
production), energy levels, lower blood triglyceride levels and to increase insulin sensitivity in studies
of mice. It also suppresses inflammation in the gut and increases resistance to metabolic and physical
stress. I could go on; the benefits of saturated fats go much further than this!

But this "fat-is-evil" weed just refuses to be pulled up. Western government agencies are steadfast in
their recommendations to lower total fat consumption and saturated fat consumption in particular. The
problem seems to be that a number of studies have linked the "Western diet" to greater heart disease
risk. There is little doubt that this is true; however, these agencies seem to be oblivious to what the
actual cause of the problem is -- instead, they assume the problem lies with saturated fat. What is
desperately needed are studies which separate out natural saturated fat consumption from other
possible causes of heart disease, including refined carbohydrates like sugar and white bread, over-
processed foods high in chemical additives, and especially trans fats.

Trans Fats

Trans fats are unsaturated fats whose structure has been altered. Some are naturally-occurring, but
the majority found in people's diets are artificially created by a process called "hydrogenation,"
whereby processors take an unsaturated oil, usually a cheap seed oil like soy or corn, subject it to
intense pressure and heat, and then inject it with hydrogen gas. This process artificially saturates the
fat, breaking the double bonds between carbons and allowing hydrogen atoms to attach. It also affects
the double bonds that remain, "twisting" them into a shape quite different from that previously held.

Normally, the two remaining hydrogen atoms adjacent to a double bond occur on the same side of the
molecule. Because the two hydrogen atoms have the same charge, they repel each other slightly, thus
causing the characteristic bend in unsaturated fats. Having the two hydrogen atoms on the same side
is called a "cis" configuration. But the pressure and heat from hydrogenation causes the remaining
hydrogens at double bond points to move to opposite sides of the molecule. This is called the "trans"
configuration.


Cis-configuration and trans-configuration of double bonds in fatty acid chain
Because the two hydrogens are now on opposite sides of the molecule, they no longer repel each
other. This means that previously bent fatty acids become straight like saturated fats. Thus an oil like
soy oil, which is normally liquid at room temperature, now becomes a more solid "saturate equivalent",
mimicking the properties of a saturated fat like butter. However, these fats are extremely dangerous to
consume, being often referred to as "plastic" fats. Studies have shown that heart disease, diabetes,
cancer, low birth-weight, obesity and immune dysfunction are highly correlated to trans fat
consumption. Note that some of the hydrogenated fats used in processed foods, like margarines,
vegetable shortenings and deep fryer shortenings, can be composed of as much as 50% trans fat.

On a physiological level, trans fats are an anomaly in the body. They have double bonds like an
unsaturated fat, but they are structurally straight, like a saturated fat. Physically, the body doesn't really
know what to do with them. They have a different melting point, chemical activity, as well as enzyme
and membrane fit. They take the place of cis- form fats, but cannot do the same work.

Trans fats disrupt cellular function by affecting many enzymes, thus preventing certain necessary
conversions of essential fatty acids. In this way they can aggravate and intensify existing EFA
deficiencies. As Mary G. Enig, PhD. points out in her book Know Your Fats, trans fats have also been
found to: lower HDL cholesterol and raise LDL; raise Lp(a) levels, increasing incidence of
atherosclerosis by two to three times (note that saturated fat consumption actually lowers Lp(a) levels);
lower the quality of breast milk by decreasing cream volume, possibly contributing to malnourished
infants; decrease visual acuity in infants fed on breast milk with trans fats present; correlate with low
birth-weight; increase blood insulin response; lower the efficiency of immune cells; decrease
testosterone levels and increase the amount of abnormal sperm; interfere with important enzymes
needed for detoxification of carcinogens and medications; interfere with cell membrane fluidity, causing
problems with nutrient transport into and out of the cells; cause increase in adipose (fat tissue) cell
size; increase free radical formation; and precipitate asthma in children.

In short, avoid trans fats like the plague! But this begs the question: why would anyone want to do this
to oils? Food industrialists, wishing to get away from using the shunned saturated fats, found that with
hydrogenation they could use publicly accepted vegetable oils instead of animal fats and still come up
with the consistency of a saturated fat. As Dr. Enig states,
"You can cream a cup of fat into a cup of sugar and two cups of flour, and the resulting dough can be
baked into a well-shaped cookie. If you try to substitute a cup of oil for the fat, you will be disappointed
with the greasy flat "cookie." Foods that are fried in unrefined oil are also frequently greasy. The food
industry knows that cookies and crackers, as well as cakes, pastries, and donuts have to be made with
a fat at least as firm as a soft fat like lard or palm oil, so the industry changes the very liquid oils, such
as soybean, corn, canola, cottonseed, and sometimes peanut oils and safflower oils, into fats by
[partial hydrogenation]."
But cookie consistency isn't the only reason. Hydrogenation also makes products more shelf-stable,
lasting much longer than products made with unprocessed fats. This is partly because the solvents
used in the extraction process for seed oils often destroy the protective antioxidants naturally present
in the seeds. Without their protective antioxidant compounds, seed oils quickly turn rancid. By
hydrogenating seed oils, this process is stayed and shelf-life is increased considerably.

Hydrogenated fats are also more resistant to oxidation, polymerization and heat damage. With higher
heat points, the fast food industry loves them because they are more durable than vegetable oils in
high-heat applications like deep fryers.


Hydrogenated fats like those in margarine are extremely toxic
When you get right down to it, none of this processing would be happening if it wasn't cost-effective.
The fact is, seed oils are cheap, and even when put through the hydrogenation process they still end
up significantly cheaper than animal fats, or the pricey saturated vegetable fats which they're
attempting to mimic.

Ironically, it is believed by some researchers that much of the bad name given to saturated fats over
the years is actually thanks to trans fats. When the early studies were being done on saturated fats,
the effects of trans fats on human health were still unknown. It was believed that, since hydrogenation
was artificially saturating the fatty acids, hydrogenated fats were the same thing as saturated fats.
Thus, when studies found declining health in subjects eating these hydrogenated fats, it was assumed
these properties applied to saturated fats. Much of this bad rap exists to this day.

Just because society at large has been programmed with the wrong information on fats doesn't mean
that you have to be. Armed with a little knowledge, your health can be put on the right track even while
the rest of the populace is on the wrong track. It isn't difficult to avoid becoming yet another chronic
disease statistic, or to turn yourself around if you already are. But it does require the right knowledge
about what to consume.

While you're digesting my brief biochemistry lesson, here is a quick and easy list of "Fat Rules" to help
guide your choices. Follow these rules and you're on your way to a healthier diet and to rediscovering
the joy of fat!

The Fat Rules

Eat a lot of fat. It is not going to make you fat, clog your arteries or give you cancer. The reason
fat tastes so good is because your body needs it. Give your body what it needs.

Animal fats for high heat. Cook with animal fats. They are the most heat-stable and will thus
be relatively undamaged even with high-heat applications. This may mean the majority of the fat you
get will be saturated (although, note that animal fats like lard and duck fat are actually mostly
monounsaturated). This is a good thing. Ghee, duck fat, lard and beef tallow are all good choices.
Saturated vegetable oils like red palm oil or coconut oil will do in a pinch, but are second best.

Monounsaturates for moderate heat. Use these oils from vegetable sources for cold
applications like salads, moderate heat applications like pouring over hot vegetables or, if you like, for
light sauting. They are relatively heat-stable, but you don't want to heat them too much. Extra virgin
olive oil is great, full of phytonutrients and antioxidants, but don't waste it by using it where an animal
fat would do a better job, like cooking at higher temperatures.

Polyunsaturates for cold. These oils are really best as supplements. You can add some to
your salad dressing or smoothie if you want to, but it's not really necessary. Take your fish oil or flax oil
as a supplement and get the rest of these important fats from your diet.

Never heat polyunsaturated oils. Yes, they are sold as cooking oils in the supermarket and
yes, every deep fryer in every restaurant you've ever been to is filled with polyunsaturated oil (usually
hydrogenated), but these oils are very delicate and will be damaged by heat (or by light or air
exposure). There is no good reason to buy vegetable oils that are sold for cooking.

Don't supplement omega-6. Although w6s are essential, they do not need to be
supplemented. We get tons of w6 fats in our diets from nuts, seeds, vegetables and meats. Keeping
the ratio of w3 to w6 in its proper proportion is vital, and supplementing with w6 will throw this balance
out completely.

Do supplement omega-3. The w3 fats are the ones that we're generally short on.
Supplementing these will help to push out any plastic fats that have accumulated in the tissues and will
maintain the w3:w6 ratio. Fish oil is the best source with flaxseed or chia seed a good secondary
source.

Avoid hydrogenated fats outright. Check food labels diligently. Even if the product says
"0g trans fats," it still, by law, can contain up to 0.5 grams per serving (and considering the fact that
food processors can designate serving size any way they like, these numbers are truly meaningless).
Look for the word "hydrogenated" on ingredients lists. If it's there, this food is plastic. Don't eat plastic.

Skip spreads. Since saturated fats are not harmful, there's no reason to buy processed vegetable
spreads that employ different tricks to imitate the properties of the real stuff. Hydrogenation,
interesterification, and the use of thickeners and blending fats and oils are all employed to make
something inherently unspreadable into something apparently spreadable. Just go for the real thing -
butter. Better yet, boil the butter to make it into 'ghee' - it's more stable, is free of dairy proteins and
lasts outside of the fridge for months.

Names are more for convenience. Remember that no fat is entirely saturated,
monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Every fat source is a mixed bag of all these types. We refer to
animal fats as "saturated" and vegetable oils as "polyunsaturated" as a kind of shorthand. But lard and
duck fat actually have more monounsaturated than saturated fats. Even olive oil contains some
saturated fat and you can get omega-3s from butter. Remember not to take these labels as gospel.

Good fat is good, bad fat is bad. This article should not be taken as free license to load up
on processed junk foods and fatty meats and dairy products from factory-farmed animals. There is still
the need to be vigilant in what we eat, including avoidance of over-processed, nutrient-depleted faux
foods and meat and dairy from sick animals. Choose fresh, choose organic and choose local. Avoid
processed anything.

Doug DiPasquale
Doug DiPasquale is a Holistic Nutritionist, Paleo enthusiast and health journalist living in Toronto, Canada. He's a regular
contributor for SOTT.net, Dot Connector Magazine, the Huffington Post Canada, The Food Network Canada and has
contributed to many other blogs and online publications. He's passionate about the food we eat, exposing the lies and faulty
thinking of the "food police" and informing the public about how to eat real food, ie. replacing that wheatgrass shot with
bacon.



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Reader Comments
Thanks Doug
By: Aeneas

Great article with a lot of useful info ready to use ;)
Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:54 CDT
Great article
By: Divide By Zero

Great to show my friends and family. I tried to explain the problem with the C-H bonds but it went over their
head. Now its easy to understand. Thanks!
Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:57 CDT
Trans-fats, obesity and diabetes
By: carefix
An interesting and informative article to which I would like to add the following on trans-fats:
The artificial trans-fats are produced by passing natural cis-isomer form vegetable oils over a hot nickel catalyst
at 260 degrees centigrade. Most of the cis-bonds are then converted to the trans-isomer form. This process is
carried out with or without hydrogen. Recent European legislation requiring the labelling of all food products
containing hydrogenated vegetable oils has simply (and deliberately) allowed the food industry to foist these
dangerous oils on the Europeans as they have simply turned off the hydrogen! The oils are thinner as a result
but contain more trans-isomer form bonds and are in consequence more dangerous. This legislative process
was overseen in the United Kingdom by the Food Standards Agency whos officers are engaged in the
systematic genocide of the British people.
Trans-fats are the biggest single cause of death and chronic ill health in much of the western world. They cause
many medical conditions such as CV disease, obesity, Alzheimers and the most jealously guarded condition of
the medical profession: type 2 diabetes. Much research literature on these conditions can be found at tfx.org.
Here in the UK it is standard practice to use lies and deception to trick people into eating trans-fats which are
labelled as unsaturated fats on food packaging. They are recommended by the medical profession especially to
people suffering from trans-fat conditions. These deceptions are perpetrated by the pharmaceutical companies
and the media is awash with trickery. Obesity we are told is as a result of not taking enough exercise and eating
too much saturated fats. This is a lie. In the main (>90%) obesity is as a result of eating a high trans-fat diet. The
result is a lower metabolism which in extreme cases can be reduced in excess of 80%. There are three basic
mechanisms behind obesity:
1) The integration of trans-fatty acids into cell walls prevents pores from forming adjacent to insulin receptors so
glucose cannot be transported into the cell.
2) Poisoning of the mitochondrial membranes similarly reduces glucose transport and reduces the production
rate of ATP which is fuel for most processes in the body.
3) The poisoning of the membrane underlying a chemical reaction called the modified electron transport chain in
brown adipose tissue.
Obesity is very easy to cure. The solution is based on the principle that most body cells die off on average every
two years and new ones are grown to replace them. Also body cells have repair mechanisms and will remove
trans-fatty acids from existing cell components where possible. The basic rules for curing obesity are to replace
trans-fats in your diet with natural cis-isomer form oils, roast and fry only with animal fat or olive oil, and to
consume a minimum of 1 tablespoonful of hemp or linseed oil per day for two years. You can worry about the
fine detail of oil balance once you have dropped a few waist sizes! All oils eaten must be cold-pressed
Type 2 diabetes is caused by the trans-fatty acid poisoning of the modified electron transport chain in pancreatic
beta cells. Unfortunately beta cells are not renewed and in fact tend to die off over the human lifetime. This
means that its curability depends upon the individuals ability to repair the underlying substrate where the METC
reaction takes place. This is of course genetically determined and indeed the above dietary change will cure
even very advanced cases of type 2 diabetes in a limited number of cases (<20% typ.). In fact most people in
the West are of a genetically curable type which is why they dont get diabetes in the first place! In curable types
a small intake of natural cis-isomer form oils alongside a mainly trans-fat based intake are sufficient to prevent
full blown diabetes from developing as some beta cells are repaired to the point that on average the pancreas
still functions.
Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:18 CDT
Re: Trans-fats, obesity and diabetes
By: dugdeep

@carefix - this is the second time that I've seen you propose in the comments on SOTT articles the idea
that trans fats are single-handedly responsible for type 2 diabetes and obesity - not a new theory, but I've never
read it in the details you provide. I'd like to find backup for this intriguing position, but the link you've provided in
both cases is about some sort of domain buying project and has nothing to do with trans fats, diabetes or
nutrition. A search on that site provides nothing useful ("Looking For the Best Deals, Eh? Save On Trans Fats!"
Not exactly what I was looking for).
Can you please provide specific links supporting your position?
Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:20 CDT
Reader Comment
By: Highland Fleet Lute

Thanks for that. *****.
Thu, 30 Jun 2011 03:31 CDT
trans fats in diet equal
By: indica
cellulite on thighs
Sat, 02 Jul 2011 17:07 CDT
Reply to Dugdeep
By: carefix
Dugdeep,
The homepage link you need is now:
[Link]
I have not visited this site for several years now. A few years ago there were abstracts and links to papers
although even this site confused the metabolic syndrome and diabetes. I have been researching the research
(and doing my own research) on type 2 diabetes for a number of years now. The best clue to the truth that type
2 is caused soley by trans-fats comes from the epidemiology. Trans-fats of the artificial type were introduced into
the human food chain in 1911. The first case of type 2 diabetes occured in the USA in 1933. Experts at the time
thought it was type 1 and killed several people by injecting them with too much insulin. It is worth reading
Thomas Smith's "Diabetes Deception" which is on-line. Smith presents the idea of curing type 2 diabetes using
cis-oils (flax-seed) and presents it as a general cure - at least he was doing so a few years ago. It is not a
general cure and it is di-fficult for me to believe that he does not know this. The reason it only works insome
cases is of course genetic. I have developed a simple genetic theory to explain the role of genes in diabetes.
This was based on "anecdotal research" performed on-line. A number of advanced cases of type 2 diabetes
were cured by this method, but most did not. However the results for weight loss were astounding. It is not
unusual for an extremely obese person to lose a stone a month with absolutely no effort other than the dietary
changes suggested above. I myself lost eight stone in two years and actually increased my calorific intake many
fold. I can now eat and drink like a teenager again.
I have been observing the way the media operates here in the UK. While it may seem that much of the advice is
given out as a result of ignorance, itis now evident to me that some of the subtleties involved in the
misrepresentation of fats and oils production and health issues have required coherent knowledge and it is not
entirely idiocy at work. There are evil people out there prepared to kill (and worse) for profit.and possibly power.
I'm sorry if I sound like a conspiracy theorist but it a monumental conspiracy, organised and deliberate albeit with
many innocent participants.
carefix
Sun, 03 Jul 2011 05:04 CDT
Cellulite - Indica
By: carefix
Indeed you are right! I have known people adopting the dietary advice given by the main article (and be me in
my first comment) become completely free of cellulite in a couple of years after adopting the change. This was
an unexpected benefit. The change has also been known to cure peripheral neuropathy in both diabetes and
multiple sclerosis which I now suspect is an exacerbation of attacks on myelin by the immune system as a result
of embedded trans fatty acids in the myelin. - I also suspect I know how cellulite works!
I also suspect that CFS/ME (aka "yuppie 'flu) while fundamentally caused by the "Chlamydia Pneumoniae" bug
is massively exacerbated by trans-fats and can be treated with significant effect by the above dietary changes. In
principle ME/CFS can be completely cured via the "Wheldon treatment" which I understand is now being trialled.
The CP bug is probably the main cause of progressive multiple sclerosis also which is also made worse by
trans-fats and treatable with some to significant improvements via the Wheldon treatment.
Sun, 03 Jul 2011 05:40 CDT
Reply to carefix
By: Bayreera

Carefix: "Type 2 diabetes is caused by the trans-fatty acid poisoning of the modified electron transport
chain in pancreatic beta cells. Unfortunately beta cells are not renewed and in fact tend to die off over the human
lifetime. This means that its curability depends upon the individuals ability to repair the underlying substrate
where the METC reaction takes place."
Quite detailed, but I'm sure it's missing a LOT of factors. If you want to do it perfect you should avoid ALL bad
things and replace it with good things. Not just fix one small thing (replacing your fats).
Carefix: "fry only with animal fat or olive oil,"
Frying with olive oil is not recommended as is stated in the above article. Have you read it?
Carefix: "I can now eat and drink like a teenager again."
I wonder what that means. Anyhow, the best thing to do, especially for those with diabetes is to take in no carbs
at all, or extremely little, and to keep the diet on lots of animal fats and meat only.
Sun, 03 Jul 2011 06:24 CDT
Re: Reply to Bayreera
By: carefix
Quite detailed, but I'm sure it's missing a LOT of factors. If you want to do it perfect you should avoid ALL bad
things and replace it with good things. Not just fix one small thing (replacing your fats).
Of course avoiding all bad things is a good thing but as regards diabetes 2 there is only trans-fatty acids to be
significantly concerned about. And yes my potted explanation isn't a full explanation but I am working on that and
believe I now have the full explanation. Adopting the dietary advice given in the main article will slow down the
development of diabetes in all cases. My advice will slow it down even faster. An analogy: I am making a statue
with a cold chisel whereas the author of the main article is using a fine sculpter's chisel. My statue will be made
much faster but will not be as pretty as that of the main article's author. The best compromise is to follow my
advice for the first year or so then to pick up the fine chisel and watch the balance of your w3s and w6s etc. as
he recommends.
Eating a carb free diet will not slow the development of diabetes although it may reduce the symptom (diabetes
is a symptom). For example once the doctors have given you advanced diabetes it is entirely possible not to eat
anything for a week and your blood glucose levels may still be four times normal (say). How can this be when
they tell you that you do not produce enough insulin? If you do not eat for a week you should not need much in
the way of insulin as there can be no blood glucose resulting from what you ate a week ago. The answer is as
simple as it is obvious: You have made your own blood glucose. This is because you are producing glucagon
even at high levels of blood glucose. Glucagon make the liver convert glycogen into glucose. Diabetes is nothing
to do with so called insulin resistance, it is the "double opposite" it is the other half of the control loop for glucose
regulation which is the malfunction. I call this malfunction "glucagon admittance" because glucagon is in function
the opposite of that of insulin and admittance is the opposite of resistance.
The whole condition boils down to a raising of the "set point" mechanism for blood glucose regulation and a
further "gaussian line broadening of the set point distribution function" which in effect means that beta cells end
up with a widening spread of set points with some producing insulin when others are not producing the glucagon
inhibitor leading to the alpha cells producing glucagon. ie. the mass of beta cells find themselves in
disagreement with each other and glucagon and insulin are being produced at the same time. Most people with
type 2 have elevated insulin levels as a result.
Sun, 03 Jul 2011 11:01 CDT
I do recommend
By: Bayreera

Of course that all people should do their research and re-check facts themselves. Never follow a diet if
you're not completely sure of what will happen when you follow it. The best diet so far seems to be a low-carb
diet. But you can't immediately jump to 0 carbs at once, so be sure to do some research before you start
anything.
Sun, 03 Jul 2011 06:27 CDT
Bayreera
By: carefix
The business about frying with Olive Oil...
Olive oil has been used for frying for centuries without anyone developing diabetes. While I agree with the main
article that animal fat is better for this purpiose I use olive oil but fry at lower temperatures, say 150-160 degrees
celcius which is in broad agreement with the main article. You should never use natural cis-isomer based oils
(i.e. cold pressed) for this purpose although when making a stew for example I will start by lightly frying
(sweating) onions in olive oil and then add some hemp oil or cold pressed sunflower oil. immediately prior (or
just after) to adding water containing ingredients. When in the oven the temperature will not increase much
beyond 105 degrees (say) because of the water content and natural cis-isomer form oils will resist conversion to
trans isomer forms at such low temperatures. If I recall correctly the conversion rate of cis to trans is 1% per
twenty minutes at 190 degrees celcius. At 110 degrees it will be negligible.
When it comes to diabetes I suspect it is perhaps 1 or 2 particular unsaturated trans-fatty acids which poison the
substrate as they have to fit into the existing structure. It seems unlikely that these have any significant presence
in olive oil because of the epidemiology.
As regards: Never follow a diet if you're not completely sure of what will happen when you follow it. That is
exactly what people do. they take the advice of drug companies, doctors and dieticians and eat high trans-fat
diets because the experts tell then that "unsaturates" are good for them, but don't tell them that these
unsaturates are in the main trans isomer form unsaturates. The result is the people become obese, get diabetes,
CV disease, Alzheimers or cancer etc. The experts then get rich through selling their victims consultations,
medical interventions, drugs and medical aids. Nice little earner for them.
Eating like a teenager? Instead of eating just one light meal and one sandwich a week as I did when I weighed
twenty stones I can now eat three hearty meals a day supplemented by much good ale and wear 30" waist
jeans. It is brilliant.
Sun, 03 Jul 2011 06:52 CDT
Nonsensical article.
By: jult
Coconut oil is sooo much healthier.
The idea that primitive man ate a diet of primarily of meat appears to be flawed. At best early man was an
omnivore with the greatest part of his diet being plant based like we see in gorillas, orangutans and
chimpanzees.
Lets look at comparative anatomy of herbivores and carnivores. There are many similarities, but there are very
distinct differences. First off herbivores have no claws; Carnivores have claws, and long sharp teeth on the end
of a long snout for ripping and tearing hide and flesh. Herbivores molars are not pointed but flat for grinding.
Herbivores jaws have the ability to move sideways to aid in their mastication. Carnivores and omnivores have
very little sideways jaw movement and swallow their food whole. Herbivores have pores in their skin to perspire
through; Carnivores perspire through the tongue to cool down their bodies. Carnivores have evolved very acid
saliva with no enzymes for digestion. Herbivores have alkaline saliva with ptyalin enzymes to help digest fruits
and grains. Carnivores have very strong hydrochloric stomach acid to help digest flesh. Herbivores have evolved
stomach acid twenty times weaker than carnivores. Carnivores have evolved a relative short digestive track to
pass the material through quickly so as to not absorb too many fats. Herbivores have evolved very long digestive
tracks in order to aid in extracting nutrition from plants.
Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:55 CST