What About Fat? Part 1

Bad fats. Healthy fats. All fat is bad fat. The fat you eat is the fat you wear.

There are so many different opinions on fat these days. So what do you do?
Find the truth! And I'm here to help you find it.

Often, people consider dietary fat to only influence a person's appearance. Or maybe they know that cardiovascular health can be affected by fat intake as well. Or maybe a person thinks, like I did 2 years ago, that fat is a good fuel source so they chow down on a can of salted cashews but limit the fruit.

But thighs, arteries, and fuel aren't the only things affected by dietary fat intake. If you're like me and most other people, it may be news to you to find out that it also affects cancer, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, cognitive function, and more.

So pay attention! And if you disagree or doubt the facts I share, please do your own research and let me know what you find. Someone's life may be depending on it. Be aware, though, of the many studies done that have conflicts of interest (i.e. the study supports the very product the funding company sells).

Here is Part 1 of "What About Fat?"

Fat is Necessary for Health

You can now calm the fat-phobic's fear... for good health, there has to be some dietary fat. Dr. Douglas Graham, author of The 80/10/10 Diet, says it well:

Fat plays many important roles in regulation of various bodily functions. It is essential to our production of hormone, although too much fat will exert an adverse influence on our hormones. It also helps to regulate the uptake of nutrients and excretion of waste products by every cell. Fat is the primary insulator within the body. It protects us against cold and heat, keeps the electricity that flows through our nerves on course, and protects our vital organs from jarring and other types of physical shock.1

Now this doesn't mean you need to go chug a bottle of olive oil so you don't have to buy a winter coat. That's just gross.

While most fats our body can produce, there are certain fats that we cannot. These are known as essential fatty acids (EFA).
Dr. McDougall gives 3 reasons why EFA are actually essential.

1. They help in the formation of phospholipids which help prevent faulty cell membranes from being formed.
2. They help in the "transport and oxidation of cholesterol; as a result EFA tend to lower plasma cholesterol."
3. They are key to the formation of important hormones known as eicosanoids.2

So... what's the take-home on this first fact? Just know that the body needs fat and that 2 kinds need to come from our food since we cannot synthesize it: Omega 3 and Omega 6. (Discussed later in Part 2.)

High Fat = High Animal Protein Diet

Actually, I should probably say "High Fat usually = High Animal Protein Diet." That's what Dr. T. Colin Campbell, world-renowned researcher and scientist from Cornell University, has found. Here's what he says:

The correlation between fat intake and animal protein intake is more than 90%. This means that fat intake increases in parallel with animal protein intake. In other words, dietary fat is an indicator of how much animal-based food is in the diet. It is almost a perfect match.3 [emphasis mine]

Surprised? Not gonna lie, I kinda was. Most people know that red meat is associated with cholesterol problems and that whole milk and butter are high in fat. But eating lean cuts, egg whites, and skim milk increases fat consumption too... not to mention animal protein. Remember the problems we found with animal protein in "What About Protein" Part 1 and Part 2? Yeah... that's why we want to stay away from it.

Too Much Dietary Fat is Harmful

In 2012, it was estimated that about 1/3 of Americans are obese.5 Dr. Campbell says that "on average, we consume 35-40% of our total calories as fat."6 And Dr. Graham's research shows that Americans eat around 1/3 to 1/2 of their total calories as fat.7 Dr. Graham's research also associates high fat eating with "almost every type of digestive disturbance, blood disorder, and degenerative disease."8 If that's the case, then over 60 million Americans who suffer from acid reflux at least once a month, may find relief in changing their diet.9 I believe we can infer that too much dietary fat affects a lot of people.

Too much fat not only affects organs, but it reaches into your blood and the very cells of the body. Dr. Graham says that the uptake, transport, and delivery of oxygen to the cells is negatively affected by excess fat.8 Have candida issues, insulin/blood sugar problems, or yeast infections? It's most likely too much dietary fat. 10, 11, 12

Vegetarians and Vegans can also often have too much dietary fat. The "Junk Food Vegan" can eat too many potato chips or other processed vegan food. Usually, it's also the added oils or too many nuts, seeds, and avocados that cause the fat % in the diet to be more than the body needs. Remember, 1 gram of fat has more calories than a gram of protein or carbohydrates. While the body needs dietary fat, a little goes a long way.

• So how much fat is needed in the diet? 
• Curious about Omega 3 and Omega 6?
• What about Cholesterol?

Stay tuned for What About Fat? Part 2!

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–Hummingbird

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1. Graham, D. (2006). The 80/10/10 Diet: Balancing Your Health, Your Weight, and Your Life One Luscious Bite at a Time. p. 112. Decature, GA: FoodnSport Press.

2. http://www.drmcdougall.com/res_vegetable_fat_med.html

3. Campbell, T. Colin; Thomas M. Campbell II (2006-06-01). The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted And the Startling Implications for Diet, We (p. 83). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition. 

4. Campbell, T. Colin; Thomas M. Campbell II (2006-06-01). The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted And the Startling Implications for Diet, We (p. 82). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition. 

5. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html 

6. Campbell, T. Colin; Thomas M. Campbell II (2006-06-01). The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted And the Startling Implications for Diet, We (p. 82). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.  

7. Graham, D. (2006). The 80/10/10 Diet: Balancing Your Health, Your Weight, and Your Life One Luscious Bite at a Time. p. 121.  

8. Ibid. p. 124.

9. http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/guide/acid-reflux-symptoms

10. http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/articles/candida.html

11. http://www.mendosa.com/The-Fat-of-the-Matter-How-Dietary-Fat-Effects-Blood-Glucose.htm

12. http://www.raw-food-health.com/yeast-infection-cures.html