Article written by Amy Morris DNN
I am quite frankly so tired of people still in this day and age saying they want ‘low fat’ this, and ‘no fat’ that, when it comes to food. Even the supermarkets sill use these phrases as a ploy to get you to buy their food as they no it will make the consumer think that specific food item is healthier than others on the shelves. But the truth of the matter is if we avoid the fats we do need, we are inviting in many chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer. Plus we increase our chances of our children being born premature, and having brain damage.
Perhaps one of the reasons people have been warned to lower their fat intake is because some research suggests that certain types of saturated fats cause high cholesterol and heart disease. What is never discussed though is how much damaged fat was the cause of this? As you will see later on in this article, not all fats are the same even if they have the same name. Also the notion is not helped by thinking that consuming ‘fat’ can make you fat. As with most nutritional topics, nothing is ever this straight forward. Take Coconut Oil/Fat, this is a medium chain type of fatty acid, which instead of being stored as fat is actually used and burnt off as energy! Amazing really.
Scientists have been puzzled for many years, at how Eskimos, who eat so much fat daily, still have such healthy cardiovascular systems. After years of study, many scientists have come to the conclusion that their excellent heart health is due to the high amount of Omega- 3 fatty acids contained in the fish and other seafood that make up a majority of their diet. But people with high cholesterol for instance actually need the correct healthy fats to help this, and what is not looked at enough is how they have got other underlying health issues going on at the same time. Also, that their body is so under stress that it cannot keep cholesterol levels at normal levels – in fact it is the liver that gets rid of extra unwanted cholesterol. So we should be looking here, to the liver as well as diet when someone is told they have high cholesterol. Remember also that for the cells to be healthy, a little bit of cholesterol is needed to support the structure of the fatty cell wall. So lowering cholesterol too much is just as bad as having too high levels.
The many types of fats include:
- Saturated fats
- Poly and Mono – unsaturated fats
- Trans fatty acids
The Fats to be Avoided
There are three types of fats that should be avoided at all costs. These are firstly the trans fats (because they are damaged and toxic), cooking oils/fats that have been stored incorrectly, namely those in clear glass jars on the shelves in the grocery stores (these have become damaged by sunlight and possibly heat during transport so as you will see with trans fats below are different then to what they started out as), and then those oils that are not organic or cold pressed manually without (when oils are not cold pressed companies instead use toxic solvents to extract the oils).
Trans fats (or trans fatty acids) are a common ingredient to foods, making up 40% of the ingredients in pre-made foods in supermarkets in the UK. Trans fats are terrible because when you heat any other oil other than butter, butter ghee or coconut oil passed smoke point – you are left with a trans fat. This means that when you heat your sunflower oils, even olive oils when cooking you have turned the original, what started out as raw and healthy, oil (so long as it was cold pressed, organic and stored correctly to begin with), into a dangerous trans fat at the end of your cooking process. These also have potentially carcinogenic effects too which means they are linked to causing cancer. Trans fats (or trans fatty acids) are also created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid. These are basically all of your store bought margarines that you were told were good for your heart. Another name for trans fats is “partially hydrogenated oils.” Look for them under both names on the ingredients list on food packages.
Where trans fats are found:
- Margarine
- Shortening
- Fried chips
- Baked chips cooked in vegetable oils
- Doughnuts
- Falafel’s
- Gravy and Sauce Mixers
- Pie crusts
- Biscuits
- Cakes
Where the Fats Go Once Inside the Body
The cell well (membrane) is mostly made up of essential fatty acids, these are termed essential because the body cannot manufacture these so it is crucial we obtain them from our diet. Then our brains are made up of 60% fat, of this the largest type of fat is another called Docosahexaenoic – or DHA for short. Other areas of the body that have the highest concentrations of DHA levels are the eyes and heart. So no matter whether you are taking in good or bad fats, they are both being used by the body in the same way. This is why it is crucial you make sure you are putting in pure, healthy undamaged fats when this is what you will be feeding your brain and other organs with. Is it any wonder that when people have depression, taking good quality Omega 3 fats along side correcting deep dehydration issues this has helped to lift them out of their depressed state?!
Healthy Fats We Need to Obtain Daily
So the healthy fats we all need to consume daily are the essential fatty acids we spoke about earlier, called Omega 3 and Omega 6. Getting enough Essential Fatty Acids daily which is around, in the correct ratios, is crucial to your skins health, brain health, hormonal health, can help prevent coronary artery disease, and sudden death. DHA that we need to feed our brains with is found in Omega 3 supplements. We need around 2000mg a day of Omega 3. Fish oil supplements, or eating oily fish 2-3 times a week are the best sources for DHA because it is already found in this form, and vegetarian options are not. Like flax seeds, and chia seeds they do contain Omega 3 – but start off at the part of the fatty acid chain called ALA. So it is more of a challenge to get the body to break them down to the desired DHA and EPA end results that we need to thrive.
EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) which is another fatty acid that the ALA in flax can break down into, or is already found in in fish oil – is also crucial for our bodies health. When we have high enough levels of EPA we are ensuring we can manufacture the ‘good’ prostaglandins (which are hormone like) in the body which help ensure the body stays relaxed and not inflamed, these are prostaglandins type 1 and 3. This is why also, the balance of Omega 3 to Omega 6 is vitally important to overall health because when Omega 6 is broken down it can lead to the making of the ‘bad’ prostaglandin type 2 which produces pain and inflammation. Although it does not really deserve the term ‘bad’, as it is important we are made aware of imbalances within the body so this pain and inflammation is your body’s way of telling you something is not right. The body has moved away from homeostasis if you like.
We however do not want to stay inflamed at all times, so we need to stay in a relaxed way more than an inflamed way. This is why it is vital to consume much higher levels of Omega 3 than Omega 6. In today’s modern society though, especially in the western world, we are consuming far more Omega 6 than Omega 3.
Healthy Omega 3 essential fatty acids are found in higher levels than Omega 6 in the following items:
- Oily fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel
- Flax seeds and oils
- Chia seeds
- Other marine organisms such as algae (this includes Spirulina)
Summary of The Chain of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids:
- ALA that comes from flax seed oil, and chia seeds which is mostly common for vegans and vegetarians to use instead of fish, can be broken down to create the vital DHA/EPA that we need, and would be the next step in the chain. But that is only if the body is able to break them down easily which does not happen for everyone. So if your digestion is impaired in anyway these may not be the options for you. Also, be careful if you are hormone sensitive as flax seed is high in plant based oestrogen, and can create to high a level of oestrogen overall in your body as a result.
- DHA which is the form what fish and fish oil supplements already give us (no breaking down necessary it is already done). It is needed for correct brain development, visual development and function, inflammation and cardiovascular function
- EPA again found already in this form in oily fish and fish oil supplements. It is needed for inflammation regulation and cardiovascular function
Choosing the Right Omega 3 Supplement
Even if you are not supplementing already with good sources of Omega 3’s, no matter what age you are it is always a good time to start accessing your current levels and ensure you are getting enough. I personally recommend eating 2-3 pieces of fresh, wild oily fish types as well as supplementing with a good Omega 3 supplement alongside. As due to healthy fats and oils being so effected and denatured by heat – cooking fish concerns me that some Omega 3 is lost and damaged. Due to the challenges vegan sources like flax and chia face at being broken down by the body adequately to give us the DHA and EPA we need, I strongly recommend fish oil supplements over other sources.
Start off with just Omega 3…
I also personally feel choosing a good quality Omega 3 supplement is all you need, as most people generally speaking do not need an Omega 3, 6 and 9 supplement. Due to most of us already obtaining enough Omega 6 from our diets, and some terming Omega 9 as an essential fat, but it is not truly one by definition as Omega 9 can be manufactured if we have the parent oils being broken down correctly. These are Omega 3 and Omega 6.
Buy from a trusted supplier…
Look for freshness, and high EPA/DHA levels on the back of the supplement. Freshness is so vital because oils that have oxidized will have gone rancid and are no good for your body as result. So you don’t want to be buying oils that have been on the shelf for some time, in a shop getting hot by the artificial lights.
Most fish oils contain standard amounts of EPA and DHA. Which perhaps at first when introducing them to the body is a good place to start with. Eventually depending on your diet, it is important to get high enough levels of your brain food – EPA/DHA through a supplement that does not mean taking 6-9 capsules a day.
Check for guaranteed purity, free of nasty contaminants…
The larger the fish in the ocean the more toxins it will have absorbed naturally in the ocean. So a lot of manufacturers are choosing smaller fish from the wild, deeper parts of the worlds oceans for this reason. If you are choosing fish oil as your supplement ensure it is mercury free, has been tested for purity, and is free of poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) which can increase the risks of developing cancer in humans. There is a reduced risk of toxins when choosing flax oils and chia oils, but only when they have been certified organic.
Use Omega 3s with caution if you are taking blood thinners…
Remember as fish oil, flax seed, and chia seeds are all natural blood thinners, you should always speak to your nutritionist, naturopath or doctor before starting any new supplements as they may contraindicate with some other medicines you are taking. This is especially aimed at those who use conventional blood thinners like warfarin and aspirin.
A small word of caution on fish liver oil supplements…
If you are of the old school nutrition thinking, and are one that uses cod liver oils, or another fish liver oil to get your vital omega 3’s from, do be careful not to take it too long. As fish liver contains high amounts of Vitamins A, which as a result could result in toxicity and side effects, as yes it is possible to over do it with supplementation!
Summary of Good Fats vs. Bad Fats
Firstly, I hope I have made you think twice about avoiding fats all together!
When choosing food that is pre-made, avoid trans fats or those that say partially hydrogenated on the ingredients list.
Be sure to evaluate whether you are getting enough Omega 3’s in your diet.
If you are trying to conceive, ensure you correct any deficiency in Omega 3’s in both the mother and father to be, before you conceive. Also continue to take during pregnancy a good quality fish oil that is mercury free. This will go a long way in helping to prevent your baby being born premature, and that it has no developmental problems during its life.
Remember you are what you eat, but mostly you are what you absorb. So feed your brain with the right fats and your brain, and whole body will function better as a result!
About the Author:
Amy Morris is the owner of Great Health Naturally UK. She is a qualified and UK registered Natural Nutritionist, holistic lifestyle adviser and organic retail specialist. Amy is based in beautiful green Surrey, UK and enjoys consulting and helping her clients (and anyone who will listen!) become informed, educated and empowered so that they can take control of their health and achieve great health naturally.