Fat Is Good

Fat Is Good.......Really!

 

Saturated fat gets a bad rap, that's for sure. But a new meta-analysis published in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows it might not be bad--at least for your heart. For the groundbreaking analysis, a team of international scientists combed through nearly 80 studies on fat consumption that involved more than half a million participants. They found that higher levels of saturated fat consumption don't increase the risk of heart disease.

Saturated fat has long been maligned for spurring heart disease by increasing LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. However, the study authors say the relationship between fat, cholesterol, and heart disease is more complicated than once believed, and LDL is only one of many risk factors. As far as cholesterol goes, most experts now believe that the ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL (good) cholesterol is more important than LDL alone. And research shows that compared with carbohydrates, saturated fat is actually better at increasing good cholesterol and cutting down on your body's levels of triglycerides (fat deposits found in the blood).

"It's very important to realize that natural fats are not only healthy but essential to overall health," says John Salerno, M.D., founder of The Salerno Center and author of Fight Fat with Fat. "There are several saturated fats that prevent heart disease and stroke."

The key word here is "natural," meaning not processed and if you can swing it, organic, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free, he says. So while you can and should eat foods such as olive and coconut oil, chicken, nuts, and avocado (all of which contain some saturated fat), in moderation, this study isn't an excuse to fill up on chips, cookies, and doughnuts.

 

And now Jenny Thompson with Health Science Institute weighs in with her comments:

Some sacred cows just never get put out to pasture.

And the low-fat myth is the most beloved one of all. But the mainstream's dietary recommendations have taken another hit, a big one.

The American Heart Association's position is that the subject of "fat" is not up for debate. As a result, it continues to promote a diet that is making us all sick.

In fact, one kind of fat, long "banned" by all the food police, has been found to actually reduce our risk of heart disease.

What will it take for this low-fat, no-fat delusion to finally be done away with?

A just-published study found little evidence to support the idea that eating foods with saturated fat will cause heart disease. Maybe that's because there wasn't any evidence that it did so in the first place!

And the AHA's push for us to consume more polyunsaturated fats -- like canola and soy oils -- well, that got shot down too. The study showed that there is no reason to believe those processed "poly" oils protect your heart. In fact they cause inflammation and other health problems.

The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, is the latest to knock down "guidelines" that have been slowly but surely destroying our health.

But the thing in this new research that must have made the AHA squirm the most, was the finding that a dairy fat -- margaric acid -- "significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease."

And a good source of margaric acid is butter (not margarine). That's right, butter!

In case you forgot, butter is that tasty spread once used on bread, to make cookies, and in actual cooking. It was banished from our kitchens some time ago and replaced with fake fats in tubs and bad oils. Things that do raise heart disease risks!

The Weston A. Price Foundation has been fighting for years to banish the "butter-is-bad-for-you" myth. But unfortunately the AHA seems to get all the TV time when it comes to dishing out dietary advice.

So in case you didn't hear all this good news about butter over the AHA chanting of "low fat, low fat," here are some more reasons to 'bring back the butter' from the Price Foundation:

• Butter is high in antioxidants, such as vitamins A, E and selenium.
• During the time heart disease took off in America, butter consumption "plummeted."
• That may be because butter has "many nutrients that protect us from heart disease" by also supporting the thyroid and adrenal glands.
• The saturated fats in butter provides protection against cancer.
• Butter can protect against tooth decay.
• Butter is an excellent source of iodine that is needed by the thyroid.
• Special fatty acids in butterfat protects the intestines, especially true for infants and the elderly.
• Butter does not make you fat! The type of short and medium chain fatty acids found in butter don't go to your hips -- instead they are used for immediate energy.

Despite all the long-standing -- and new -- evidence that real butter is a healthy ingredient that the Price Foundation says "protects us from many diseases," the AHA is still sticking with its story.

The group said the new fat research provided "insight," but to figure this all out we will need many more studies, ones that will cost "billions of dollars" and take "decades to complete."

In the meantime, the AHA says, we must continue on with "existing science" that "suggests" saturated fat can cause heart disease.

Wait a minute -- all these years we've been eating fake eggs, disease-causing fake butter and giving up steak because of a mere suggestion?

Well, AHA, the actual science proves that what you've been preaching all this time is more like science fiction.

My Comment:

If you are able, there is a distinct advantage to eating organic butter from grass fed cows.  Grass fed cows produce beef and milk that is much higher in Omega 3's and a much higher quality butter with health enhancing properties.  One brand of grass fed butter available in the regular grocery chain stores is Kerigold Butter from grass fed Irish cows.  If your store carries it then give it a try and your whole family will be healthier for it.

Whenever possible always cook with Olive, Coconut or Avocado oil.  If you want a milder tasting oil for certain dishes then use Extra Light olive oil or even Grape Seed oil which is good for higher temperature cooking.

Until next time, stay healthy and happy

JD Roma

 

The information on this blog is provided for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care, and medical advice and services are not being offered. If you have, or suspect you have, a health problem you should consult your physician (preferably a Naturopath).