Saturated fats have received a poor reputation since the emergence of the diet-heart hypothesis in the 1960s. This theory claimed that saturated fat consumption increased cholesterol levels in the blood, blocked arteries, and was the primary cause of heart disease.
As a result, individuals are less likely to consume saturated fats, such as fatty cuts of meat, butter, egg yolks, and bacon, opting instead for skim milk, lean cuts of meat, egg whites, and low-fat dressings. However, it turns out that saturated fat is not the nutritional monster it was always thought to be.
The Huge Saturated Fat Mistake
In the 1950s, a researcher named Ancel Keys released The Seven Countries Study, which linked saturated fat and cholesterol with an increased incidence of heart disease. This research was one of the most influential in the demonization and fear of saturated fats, resulting in a rise in the manufacture and consumption of low-fat and fat-free foods. This hypothesis remained largely unquestioned for many years due to a lack of awareness and knowledge of the functions of saturated fats at the time.
Unfortunately, with further study and knowledge, these conclusions have been called into severe doubt. It turns out that Key's study was severely faulty, and the data he provided did not accurately reflect his results. “Keys' hypothesis was based on six-country research that found that greater saturated fat consumption was linked to higher incidences of heart disease. He, on the other hand, deliberately disregarded evidence from 16 other nations that contradicted his hypothesis. The statistics would have indicated that raising the percentage of calories from fat lowers the number of deaths from coronary heart disease if he had selected a different group of countries.”
New research has proven and discredited the diet-heart hypothesis many times in recent years, yet the notion that saturated fats are harmful and cause heart disease remains one of the most widespread dietary misconceptions propagated by the media today.
Whole Foods Contain Saturated Fats
After more than 50 years of being taught that saturated fats are harmful and should be avoided in the diet, accepting that saturated fat may be beneficial. It can be eaten in the diet can be a significant change in attitude. When you take a step back and examine the largest sources of saturated fats. You'll see that they're all entire foods that humans have evolved to consume for thousands of years. We would have no option but to consume whole foods, which include saturated fat if all grocery shops were closed tomorrow. We had to rely on our environment and surroundings to obtain nourishment.
Mother nature does not provide low-fat, fat-free, or light choices; she only creates entire fats in their natural state; whole foods include egg yolks, bacon, butter, and animal fats. Humans have spent our whole existence consuming wild game, marine life, and plant life, as well as unprocessed sources of saturated fats (organ meats, blubber, milk, or coconuts). In fact, current tribes around the world consume saturated fat-rich diets; Eskimo tribes consume native diets containing up to 75 percent saturated fat, the Maasai Tribe of Kenya consumes a diet containing up to 66 percent saturated fat, and the Tokelau of New Zealand consume a diet containing 60 percent saturated fat and have virtually no heart disease.
Is all saturated fat good for you?
In a nutshell, yes, but only when you concentrate on complete foods. Saturated fats do not block arteries or cause heart disease, contrary to popular belief, and (luckily) there is now plenty of research to back this up. Saturated fats are one of several types of dietary fat, which is an important macronutrient in human nutrition.
Saturated Fat's Advantages
Because we are warm-blooded, we need saturated fats from a biological standpoint. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and provide our cell membranes and tissues the rigidity and structure they need. As a result, complete, unprocessed, naturally occurring forms of saturated fats are deemed helpful rather than harmful to human health.
- Improved Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Saturated fat is important for heart health. The addition of saturated fat to the diet lowers levels of lipoprotein (a), a chemical that is closely linked to the risk of heart disease.
- Increase Saturated Fatty Acids in White Blood Cells: A lack of saturated fatty acids in white blood cells makes it difficult for them to detect and kill foreign invaders including viruses, bacteria, and fungus.
- Improved Brain Health: Fat and cholesterol make up the majority of the brain. Although many people are aware of the significance of omega-3 and omega-6 necessary fatty acids for brain health, the majority of fatty acids in the brain are saturated, thus a diet low in saturated fats deprives the brain of its natural building blocks.
- Lung Health: Without saturated fats, the lungs cannot function; the airspaces of the lungs must be covered with a thin coating of lung surfactant. Saturated fatty acids make up the whole fat component of lung surfactant.
- Improved Liver Health: Saturated fats cause liver cells to shed their fat cells, allowing the liver to operate more efficiently.
Vitamins A, D, and K2 cannot be taken into our systems without the help of saturated fats, which serve as a carrier.
What about cholesterol, though?
If you're wondering where cholesterol comes into play, it's right beside saturated fats. It's essential to remember that cholesterol is generated by the liver and serves a variety of functions in the body, including the formation of cell membranes, hormone activity, and the formation of much of your brain. Cholesterol also breaks down fat-soluble vitamins including vitamin A, D, E, and K, all of which are necessary for good health.
Cholesterol, in reality, has a protective rather than a harmful function in our blood arteries. Our blood vessels may be injured in a variety of ways, and when this occurs, the body's natural healing ingredient - cholesterol – comes in to repair the damage. Much to the saturated fat myth, dietary cholesterol has been vilified due to ignorance; nevertheless, cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, but rather a tool for repairing arterial damage. Dietary types of cholesterol, like saturated fats, have gotten a bad reputation that they don't merit.
Quality Over Quantity When It Comes to Saturated Fat
For thousands of years, humans have eaten saturated fats from animals and plant sources, and fortunately, this is now generally recognized. However, just because saturated fats are good for you doesn't mean you should eat them in large quantities, and it's essential to remember that quality matters.
When it comes to saturated fats, it's essential to think about where the fat originates from and how good it is. It's not that I'm advocating for a diet high in saturated fats from processed meats and hot dogs; it's all about context. Fruit is good for you, but lollipops with fruit flavors aren't. Saturated fats that have been processed or are not present in their natural state should be avoided.
Instead, these types of saturated fats are helpful to the body if you concentrate on consuming real complete foods like coconut oil, avocado, grass-fed beef, pastured butter, tallow, ghee, and free-range eggs as part of a well-balanced diet of whole foods. Saturated fats are the finest sources of cooking oil, and it's essential to consider obtaining well-raised animal products to guarantee excellent saturated fat content. Fats must be carefully selected, and when eaten as part of a well-balanced diet of whole foods, they are very essential and helpful to our health.
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