FAT IS GOODBut How Much,

and What Kind of Fat?

Although fat in the diet in the number one concern amongst grocery shoppers...

...30% more people are overweight today than in

the late 1970’s.

Some of the “costs” of being overweight

Diabetes Cancer

Stroke Heart Disease

The Framington Study found that systolic blood pressure levels increased an average of six points and LDL cholesterol levels increased an average of nine mg/dl for every 10% increase above one’s ideal body weight.

Results of lowering the blood pressure

For the general population, a 3mm decrease in systolic blood pressure

would result in:

•11 percent fewer strokes

•7 percent fewer coronary events

•5 percent fewer deaths

Health ImplicationsHealth Implications

• Insulin Resistance• Diabetes Type II• Hypertension• Dyslipidemia• Coronary Heart

Disease• Gout• Osteoarthritis

• Gall Bladder Disease & Stones

• Cancers of Bowel, Breast, GU Tract

• Skin Diseases (especially fungal diseases)

• Sleep Apnea with chronic hypoxia

“Greatly” increases risks of:

Solomon et al. Obesity & motality: a review of epidemiological data. Am J Clin Nutr 1997 Oct 66:4 1044S

Free or combined fats?Free or combined fats?

Good sources?Good sources?

Refined FatRefined Fat

It takes 10-14 ears of corn to make one tablespoon of corn oil. As refined or free oil, it

comes without its fiber, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, and other unknown nutrients.

Hyperlipemic blood. Marked creamy layer is striking. When mixed, the blood sample

looks like cream of tomato soup.

Why do we need fat in the diet?Why do we need fat in the diet?•Fat facilitates the absorption of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

•A certain amount is also needed to make our meals palatable.

•Fat supplies the essential fatty acids.– Immune response– Inflammatory reactions– Blood pressure– Blood clotting– Hormonal balance– Blood cholesterol levels

Saturated or Unsaturated

What’s the Difference?

Saturated vs. Unsaturated

Studies showed unsaturated fats

lowered heart attack rate

Massive shift to poly-unsaturated cooking

oils

Heart attacks have not declined

Saturated FatSaturated Fat• Come largely from animals

• Are solid at room temperature

• The worst kind of fats

• Most responsible for excess manufacture of cholesterol in the body

• Coconut, palm, and palm-kernel oil are also highly saturated

SaturatedFat

Polyunsaturated fatsPolyunsaturated fats• Liquid at room temperature.

• Come from vegetable sources such as corn, soybean, safflower, sunflower, sesame, cottonseed.

• Often hydrogenated, forming trans-fatty acids which have been found to be a likely cause of cancer.

UnsaturatedFat

Monounsaturated fatsMonounsaturated fats• Olive oil, peanut oil, olives, and avocados.

• Also found in beans, grains, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

• Determined to be the best kind of fat.

Fat Remains Longer in the StomachFat Remains Longer in the Stomach

• It coats the particles of carbohydrates and protein.

• Salivary and gastric juices cannot digest fats.

• These particles of food pass out of the stomach undigested.

• Fermentation, sour stomach, heartburn, gas, and indigestion occur

Fried FoodsFried Foods• Frying fats reaches temperatures of over

315o Celsius.

• At these temperatures the natural cis-fatty acids are converted into trans-fatty acids.

Fat Head...Fat Head...• Large amounts of saturated fats can cause a sharp drop in the

amount of oxygen that reaches the brain cells.• Good though requires a good amount of oxygen in the brain.• In one study using dairy cream, the oxygen in the brain

dropped 30%.• Restricted blood flow to the brain impairs clear thinking,

causes headaches, and leads to senility.• A fat-rich meal can cause the oxygen level in the brain to drop

to 68% and require three days to return to 95% of normal.

...or Air Head?...or Air Head?• Excess fat causes the red blood cells to stick

together, reducing their oxygen carrying capacity.

• Only a 35% reduction of oxygen is necessary to produce malignant cells from normal cells.

• Nine to twelve hours are required for this clumping to begin reversing, and 72 hours for circulation to return to normal.

Fight Heart Disease

Help decrease platelet stickiness Decrease blood pressure Decrease serum triglycerides Decrease muscular damage from heart attack Decrease likelihood of blood vessel blockage after angioplasty or surgery

Fish from mildly polluted water concentrate toxins up to more that 1,000,000 times more than detected in water

Toxins in their fatty tissues include pesticides, chlorinated hydrocarbons, mercury, and dioxin

Fish can also be contaminated with PCB’s, various heavy metals, petroleum hydrocarbons, halogenated organic compounds, and lead

Biomagnification of DDD InsecticideBiomagnification of DDD Insecticide

Sample siteSample site DDD,ppmDDD,ppm

Lake waterLake water 0.02 0.02

PhytoplanktonPhytoplankton 55

Herbivorous fishHerbivorous fish 40-300 40-300

Carnivorous fishCarnivorous fish >2,500 >2,500

Problems with Fish and Fish OilProblems with Fish and Fish Oil

• Can worsen blood sugar levels in diabetics

• Large amounts can dangerously prolong blood clotting time

• Fish oil is expensive

• Can lead to an increase in body weight

• Sea food is a large reservoir for infectious diseases

• Toxins acquired from contaminated waters concentrate in the fatty tissues of fish

A Sad State

• 1-25% Fat>75% Unsaturated

• 5% Protein• 70-90% Unrefined

Carbohydrates(mostly

complex)

• 37% Fat80-90% Saturated

• 12% Protein• 27% Carbohydrates

(mostly refined)• 24% Refined Sugar!

Ideal Diet Standard American Diet

The Fat Family Weighs in

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Canola

Safflo

wer

Sunflow

er

CornOliv

e

Soyb

ean

Mar

garin

e

Peanut

Chicke

n fat

Beef f

at

Butter

Saturated Polyunsaturated Monounsaturated

Under 30 and fatty streaks Under 30 and fatty streaks alreadyalready

12

19 21

30

51

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

110 140 170 200 230

Aorta wall covered with fatty streaks vs. cholesterol level in people under 30

%

Serum cholesterol

Serum Cholesterol & Serum Cholesterol & Mortality RiskMortality Risk

55 5880

140

183

0

50

100

150

200

200 200-219 220-239 240-259 260…Cholesterol Level

Mortality

Risk

Sources of Dietary Sources of Dietary CholesterolCholesterol

Cholesterol is found ONLY in meat, milk, eggs, and

cheese.

This includes chicken and fish.

Common Common Atherosclerotic SitesAtherosclerotic Sites

• Cerebral arteries

• Carotid arteries

• Coronary arteries

• Aorta

• Renal arteries

• Femoral arteries

• Stroke

• Heart attack

• Angina pectoris

• Aneurysm

• Intermittent claudication

• Gangrene

Fat content of dairy products

• Skim milk…… 0-1%• Filled milk…….. 2%• Whole milk…… 3%• Cream cheese…. 35%• Cheddar…….…. 32%• American……… 30%• Muenster………. 30%

• Swiss……….….. 25%• Mozzarella…..… 25%• Neufchâtel….….. 25%• Camembert… 25-27%• Brie………… 25-27%• Ricotta…………. 12%• Cottage cheese.. 3-5%

Cheese & butter 2-4 times a week...

• 3.2 times higher risk of breast cancer for women compared to once a week use

• 3.6 times greater risk of fatal prostate cancer for men who eat meat, dairy, eggs daily over sparingly

Lifestyle Changes and Lifestyle Changes and MortalityMortality Reduced Heart

Disease Deaths

Actions:Actions:• lowered cholesterol

intake• lowered blood

pressure• stopped smoking

ResultsResults:• 55% decreased death

rate in men• 68% decreased death

rate in women

In Finland, 14,257 men and 14,786 women:

Total Vegan Diet Total Vegan Diet BenefitsBenefits

• Zero cholesterol• Low saturated fat• High fiber• Zero animal protein• Rich in antioxidants• Rich in folic acid and B6• Promotes weight control• More nutrients for the dollar

7 Steps to Lower 7 Steps to Lower TriglyceridesTriglycerides

• Lose weight

• Exercise

• Eat less fat

• Decrease stress

• Stop smoking

• Abstain from alcohol

• Avoid sugar