“Let’s Talk About Good Fats” Part One

Happy Tuesday Everyone and Happy May! I can’t believe another new month is here. I trust all of you have remained healthy and well. Thanks for being back for the latest post. Tonight is all about “Good Fats.”

I have paid close attention to good vs. bad fats for a long time, as I have a husband who has been a long-time diabetic and we have learned his fat intake has to be watched just as closely as his sugar intake. In preparing for this post, I learned a great deal more!

An English proverb says “Don’t dig your grave with your own knife and fork.” There are “good” and “bad” fats in foods–some toxic, some neutral, and some that are vital for good health. Dietary fats provide a concentrated energy source as well as the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones. All animal and plant fat can be broken down into fatty acids, glycerin, and water. Fats and lipids (another descriptive name for fat-soluble natural compounds) are better energy sources than protein or carbohydrates. Quality unprocessed fats are also necessary in the diet because they carry the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K to the body’s tissues. Fats have the highest caloric density of the three major types of nutrients–9 calories per gram. Protein and carbohydrates, on the other hand, have only 4 calories per gram. One tablespoon of oil contains 120 calories. Fats act as an intestinal lubricant and help to build tissues and body cells. They stay in the digestive tract for longer periods, giving a full, satisfied feeling after a meal. They also are used to generate body heat. Fats soothe the nerves and provide the basis for myelin, the protective shield that covers nerve cells. Fat is found in all body cells in combination with other nutrients. Essential fatty acids are an important link in the health chain. Excess fat, however, can be a problem. It is stored in the liver, in arteries around the heart and in all tissue. Cancer of the breast, prostate, and colon, not to mention obesity and an increased risk of heart attack, are linked to high fat consumption. The typical American diet consists of 40 to 50 percent calories from fat, a primary cause for the rise in all of these disorders.

All fats are composed of building blocks called fatty acids. Some of these can be synthesized in the body, while others cannot. The ones that the body cannot make, and therefore must be obtained through the diet (a characteristic they share with many vitamins) are known as essential fatty acids (EFAs). They are sometimes also referred to as vitamin F. All animals and humans require essential fatty acids. There are two known essential fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is a member of the family designated omega-3 fatty acids, and linoleic acid, which is one of the omega-6 fatty acids. Another fatty acid, arachidonic acid (AA), also an omega-6 fatty acid, was once thought to be an essential fatty acid, but researchers have since learned that ALA and LA, can be converted into AA in the liver. By weight, more EFA’s are required by the body than any other type of fat or other nutrient that is considered essential. Every single cell, organ, and tissue requires a daily supply of EFA’s. Deficiencies of essential fatty acids are common today. There are a number of reasons for this, including: A diet high in saturated fats, consumption of processed vegetable oils containing trans-fatty acids, which prevent the proper formation of linoleic acid, excessive alcohol consumption, diabetes, aging, lack of magnesium, zinc and vitamins E, C and B, smoking, viral infections and more.

HELP FOR ARTHRITIS: In one Danish study, subjects with rheumatoid arthritis experienced a significant decrease in pain, swollen joints and morning stiffness after six months of eating 4 ounces of fish daily. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish lead to the suppression of inflammatory prostaglandins. Cold-water fish such as salmon, sardines, and halibut are best; flaxseed oil, borage oil, walnuts and pecans, tofu, and green leafy vegetables are other food sources. The omega-6 fatty acids, which can fuel the production of inflammatory prostaglandins and are present in corn, cottonseed, safflower, and sunflower oil, are overabundant in most diets. The inflammatory response can be triggered if the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats in the body is out of balance. A practical approach to arthritis therefore is to lessen your intake of potentially inflammatory omega-6 oils and to increase your intake of the omega-3 oils, whether through diet alone or diet plus supplements.

OILS: Best and Worst at a Glance. The Best: Olive, canola, walnut, safflower, avocado, almond, rice bran, sesame, flaxseed. The Worst: Coconut, peanut, palm, palm kernel, and cottonseed.

RECIPES:

Ridiculously Good Olive Oil Dip. Take 2 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons capers drained, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, 3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese, pinch of sea salt, fresh ground pepper to taste, pinch crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, crusty bread, cubed. Finely mince the garlic and capers. Add to a bowl along with the oregano, rosemary, thyme and cheese. Season with a small pinch of salt and pepper. Use the back of a spoon to smoosh the herbs into the garlic and capers. Make one or two mounds of the garlic-herb mixture on a rimmed plate. Drizzle the olive oil on top. Serve with cubes of bread.

Homemade Vinaigrette. Take 1 clove of garlic, pounded with a mortar and pestle to a paste, 1 tablespoon of wine of cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, Kosher salt (a few punches), freshly ground black pepper, 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. In a small bowl, add the garlic paste, vinegar and mustard and whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking to incorporate. Taste as you go and stop adding when the flavors taste as you like.

Have a wonderful rest of your week. Next week we will continue with our Good Fats series!

“The best view comes after the hardest climb.”