Fats play an important role in the body, regulating processes like inflammation and hormone production. There are different types of fats, including saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. High quality sources of fats come from healthy animals and plants, and include foods like olive oil, avocados, nuts and fatty fish. Refined vegetable oils are more prone to oxidation and may promote inflammation. A balanced intake of fats supports overall health and well-being.

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The Skinny on Fats

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The Role of Fat in the Body
 Regulates inflammation
 Stabilizes blood sugar
 Vitamin absorption
 Hormone production
 Surfactant production
 Strengthens the immune system
 Heart and Brain development
 Cell membrane structure
o Omega 3 and saturated fats, phospholipid bilayer, cholesterol and protein
 Required for propercell to cell communication
o Unhealthy cell membrane = slow rate of cellular
communication
 Cognitive, visual and learning development
o The brain is 60% fat
Types of Fat in the Diet
 Saturated
 Monounsaturated - MUFA
 Polyunsaturated - PUFA
Omega 3
Omega 6
 Transfat /Hydrogenated Oil
 Cholesterol
The Dish on Fat
Dietary fats come in two basic forms, saturated and unsaturated but not all fat from
dietary sources affect human health in the same way. Fats are a sub group of lipids
which consist of oils, waxes, phospholipids, sterols and cholesterol. Some fats are
damaging and some are beneficial. Consuming high quality fats will result in a
more stable blood sugar and reduce cravings for refined carbohydrates.13

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Many foods that contain fat rarely consist of just one type. Salmon, for instance
has a nice combination of saturated (20%), MUFA (29%) and PUFA (1.5% omega
6, 35% omega 3).
For the majority of human existence, we
have been consuming fat by natural
means, straight from its animal or plant
sourcewith little to no processing. For
example, fats from animals were
consumed as part of the meat or collected
for a later use in the form of lard or tallow.
The human bodyhas evolved to
metabolize and thrive from these natural
nutrient sources. It has only been recently,
in the last 200 years or so that extracting
PUFAs from plants and seeds has led to an
abundance of inexpensive, highly refined
toxic oils. PUFAs have a very delicate,
unstable chemical nature that allows for
them to become easily oxidized through
exposure to heat, light and air. The high
temperatures used in the refining process
produces aldehydes and formaldehydes as
well as a rancid fat that further requires the
use of bleaching agents and other
chemicals to degum, clean and deodorize. 4 The resulting vegetable or seed oil has
the potential to deteriorate cells and tissues, especially the thin fragile lining of the
blood vessel known as the endothelial if consumed on a regular basis. Refined oils
that are not exposed to high heat will be labeled “Expeller or Cold Pressed”.

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Saturated Fat – makes up 75% and 80% of the fatty acids in most cells.
As more and more nutrition science and research is being conducted onfood and
nutrients, here is what the latest research is saying about saturated fat. Foryears we
have been told that saturated fat is bad and that it contributes to heart disease and
atherosclerosis. We were also told that
saturated fat causes cell membranes to
become rigid, impairing the normal
exchange of nutrients and waste in and out
of the cell. New research is now showing
that there is no link between saturated fat
consumption and heart disease.6
Surprisingly, dietary saturated fat does not
raise serum triglyceride levels, it’s actually refined carbohydrates, sugar and excess
proteins that do.6 Steric and palmitic acid , two saturated fats that are associated
with heart disease are produced in the liver when carbohydrates and alcohol are
consumed.6 When consumed from healthy sources, suchas organic or expeller
pressed coconutoil and pasture raised animal products, saturated fats play an
important role in lowering Lp(a), (an inflammatory lipoprotein that promotes heart
disease), raise HDL levels, decreases triglycerides, supports the immune system,
delivers fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E &K to cells and tissues and protects the
liver from toxins. 9 It also provides stability and structure to cell membranes and
helps to deliver calcium to bone, and to renew brain nerve cells. When saturated
fats are burned for fuel (in someone who has well controlled insulin) there is no
known toxicity, it’s a clean process where carbon dioxide and water are the only
by-products. As a stable molecule, saturated fat does not easily oxidize or produce
free radicals like PUFAs fats do (see below for explanation). 9 Free radicals are
substances that are missing electrons so they oxidize nearby cells to steal their
electrons. This oxidation is what damages the delicate endothelial lining of blood
vessels and cellular DNA. 9
Medium Chain Triglycerides
(MCT)MCT are a form of saturated fat that
lower the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL.12
They promote weight loss and can heal a fatty
liver caused by excessive carbohydrate intake.6,
13 They are easy to digest as they do not require
bile acids for digestion and go directly into the
liver for processing instead of going into blood
circulation in the form of LDL cholesterol.9,11 MCT are high in lauric acid which
has antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidant properties. They enhance
fat burning and when converted into ketone bodies and can serve as a fuel source

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for the brain. Ketogenic diets have been shown to be a beneficial energy source for
patients suffering from seizures, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.9 Sources of MCT
are found in foods from humans, animals and plants such as, breastmilk, animal
dairy (cheese, butter, milk, yogurt) and foods derived from coconut(oil, butter,
milk).
Unsaturated Fat – Monounsaturatedfats (MUFA) and Polyunsaturated fats
(PUFA)
MUFA like saturated fats, are invulnerable to oxidation and are key components of
cellular membranes. They are nontoxic to the bodyas long as insulin sensitivity is
not an issue. If one is insulin resistant, serum free fatty acids can make this
situation worse. Otherwise, in healthy individuals, MUFAs help to reduce LDL,
oxidized LDL, triglycerides, inflammation, blood pressure and the formation of
blood clots, while increasing HDL. Food sources are: olives, avocado, some fish,
macadamia nuts, almonds nuts, duck fat, egg yolks, lard, chicken fat, tallow, butter
and avocados.
PUFAs play an important role in human health as an essential fatty acid. They are
essential because the bodycannot make them so they must be provided through the
diet. They offer fluidity to cell wall structure, regulate gene expression and aid in
cellular function. On the flip side
they are highly susceptible to
oxidation and producefree radicals
which contribute to systemic
inflammation. Inflammation is
linked to cancer, heart disease,
obesity, autoimmune, metabolic
syndrome, atherosclerosis, liver
disease and a shorted lifespan.
The short chain PUFAs, alpha
linoleic acid (ALA) or Omega 3 and
linolenic acid (LA) or Omega 6 are
the two types of PUFAs that are
essential. The optimum ratio of
omega 3 to omega 6 is 3:1 however;
the reality of many western diets is
more likely around1:25.8 This
excessive amount of omega 6 intake
is mainly in the form of processed
seed oils suchas corn, soy,
safflower, sunflower, cottonseed,
soybean, sesame, and canola. These
oils are found in processed foods

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Lp(a)
and restaurant foods due to their inexpensive nature.8 EPA and DHA are the long
chain omega 3 fats that have shown to have the greatest benefit to the health of our
brains, immune system, insulin regulation, visual and learning development,
hormone and neurotransmitter function.5 Sources of long chain omega 3 can be
found in fish, algae, wild or pastured animals. The human bodycan convert some
short chain (ALA) omega 3 found in flax seeds and chia seeds to EPA and DHA
but the conversion ratio is low, around 5% for EPA and .5% for DHA.9 The goal is
to consume the long chain omega 3, EPA and DHA in greater quantities than the
short chain ALA.
For omega 6 fatty acids, the goal is to consume a moderate intake (around 2% to
3% of daily calories) of the short chain linoleic acid (LA) due to its inflammatory
nature and vulnerability to oxidative damage.7 Unfortunately, for those who
consume a western diet, intake is around 9% of calories due to the consumption of
processed industrial seed oils. The best sources of LA is from whole foods like
nuts, seeds, poultry, and avocados. When omega 6 oils are consumed in excess
they competing for the same conversion enzymes as omega 3 and prevent the
conversion of the short chain omega 3 (alpha linoleic acid) to the more beneficial
longer chain EPA and DHA. If refined oils are to be consumed, those that are cold
or expeller pressed are the least damaging to human health.
Transfats that are manmade, have no place in the human diet as they are
unrecognizable to the human body however, naturally occurring transfats found in
animal products in the form of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is beneficial. CLA
has an inverse relationship to heart disease, blocks the growth and spread of
tumors, improves insulin sensitivity, and even helps to reduce bodyfat and
promote weight loss.9 Sources of CLA are cow’s milk, beef, lamb, butter, goat’s
milk, yogurt and cheese from cows or goats.
Commercially made transfats are a metabolic poison as they instigate cardio
vascular disease by interfering and destroying enzymes that make use of good fats.
They interfere with cell receptors preventing them from working properly such as
the all-important cellular receptor for insulin. They increase oxidative damage to
cell membranes and are known to increase the risk of cancer by impairing the
immune system and promoting inflammation, not to mention their influence on
obesity and diabetes.
They also promote heart disease by raising Lp(a) (a lipoprotein that is linked to
heart disease, atherosclerosis and stroke), increase LDL oxidation
and lower serum HDL levels. Eating commercially made
transfats nullifies any of the good fats you consume because
they occupycell receptor sites that are intended for good fats.
As a result, the productionof healthy prostaglandins and
hormones that regulate pain, fever, inflammation vascular
tone, clotting and blood pressure is impaired.11 Sources of
transfats can be found in processed foodssuchas commercial

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cakes, pies, cookies, crackers, breakfast cereals, energy bars, chips and salad
dressing. Read the ingredient list not the nutrition facts label to see if a food has
added transfats. Also, if the word partially hydrogenated oil is listed in the
ingredient list then avoid that food as well as transfats usually accompany partially
hydrogenated oils.
Cholesterolis actually not a fat but is often thought of as one. It is a
combination of a sterol and an alcohol that is dissolved in fat (triglyceride) and
carried around in the blood by proteins (apoA and apoB). The two terms, low
density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) and are the two
most common terms used in referring to cholesterol. 25% of the cholesterol in our
bodyis from diet and the remaining 75% is produced in the body. Formost people,
cholesterol from food does not increase ones risk of heart disease, raise serum
triglycerides or LDL.3 It is broken down, metabolized and then reassembled into
cholesterol as needed. Cholesterol productionis tightly regulated in the body, if
intake is low then the bodywill make what it feels it needs to maintain homeostasis
and vice versa. The productionof hormones requires a healthy supply of
cholesterol, without it, deficiencies in vitamin D, cortisol and the sex hormones.
Also the brain may suffer from poorcognitive function, memory and depression
without enough cholesterol.8
There are some folks known as “hyper responders”who have impaired
cholesterol metabolism and will see elevated LDL and HDL with dietary
cholesterol consumption. 10 With LDL cholesterol,
the size of the molecule (small and dense versus
large and buoyant) is a better health marker for
determining risk of heart disease. The small dense
are more dangerous because they have the ability
to embed into the very thin, endothelial lining of
our blood vessels. This creates atherosclerotic
plaque, a combination of cholesterol, fat, cellular
waste, calcium and fibrin. 2 Focusing more on the
particle size and the quantity of lipoproteins
floating around the blood stream is a better predictor of heart health than just the
total LDL cholesterol. To use an analogy, lipoproteins transport triglycerides (TGs)
and cholesterol like cars transport people. More cars (lipoproteins) on the road

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have a greater influence on accidents (heart disease), than the number of people
(TGs & Cholesterol) in the cars.10
Sources of Quality Fat
 Full fat dairy. Many low-fat and nonfat dairy products have added oxidized
cholesterol, also known as milk powder. This is added to enhance mouth feel
and to make up for the fat that was removed. Oxidized cholesterol prevents
macrophages from performing their job as a toxin scavenger. Toxins are
stored in fat tissue, so you want to make sure that you do not consume
animal products where the animals were fed an unnatural diet of grain feed
or laden with pesticides or fertilizers. You also don’twant to consume
products from animals given antibiotics or growth hormones. Choose animal
products that are from pastured animals, grass fed or organic (at a
minimum).
 Animal: lard, tallow, poultry fat, egg yolks
 Expeller pressed or cold pressed oils: Coconutoil, palm oil, olive oil,
avocado oil.
 Plant:avocado, olives, nuts, seeds.
 Seafood: tuna, shrimp, salmon, mackerel
Summary
Natural sources of fat are health promoting. The bodywill thrive when the
majority of fat intake is derived from high quality saturated, monounsaturated
and polyunsaturated sources from healthy animals and plants. Quality sources
of fat do not come in the form of commercially processedrefined oils or from
animal feed lots. Animal products sourced from CAFOs have a lower amount
of CLA, omega 3 and possibly higher amounts of toxins from their feed and
administered pharmaceuticals. Foroptimum wellness, when choosing foods,
look for clean sources as toxic overload is a slow degenerative process.

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References
1. Berger,S., Raman, G., Vishwanathan, R., Jacques,P. F., & Johnson, E. J. (2015). Dietary
cholesterol and cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 102(2),276. doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.100305
2. Davidson, M. H., Ballantyne, C. M., Jacobson, T. A., Bittner, V. A.,Braun, L. T., Brown, W.
V.Dicklin, M. R. (2011). Clinical utility of inflammatory markers and advanced lipoprotein
testing: Advice from an expert panel of lipid specialists. Journal of Clinical Lipidology, 5(5),
338-367. doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2011.07.005
3. Djoussé, L., & Gaziano, J. M. (2009). Dietary cholesterol and coronary artery disease: A
systematic review. Current AtherosclerosisReports, 11(6),418-422. doi:10.1007/s11883-009-
0063-1
4. Fallon, S. (2002). The great con-ola. Retrieved from:http://www.westonaprice.org/know-your-
fats/the-great-con-ola/
5. Hyman, M. (2009). The ultramind solution: The simple way to defeat depression,overcome
anxiety, and sharpen yourmind (pp.85-94). New York,NY: Scribner
6. Hyman, M. (2016). Eat fat, get thin: Why the fate we eat is the key to sustained weight loss and
vibrant health (68-126). New York,NY: Little Brown and Company
7. Jaminet, P.,Jaminet,S. (2012). Perfect health diet (105-158). New York,NY: Scribner.
8. Kharrazian, D. (2013). Why isn’t my brain working? A revolutionary understanding of brain
decline and effective strategiesto recover yourbrain’s health. Carlsbad,CA: Elephant Press
9. Kresser,C. (2013). The paleo cure. Eat right for your genes,body type,and personal health
needs – prevent and reverse disease, lose weight effortlessly, and look and feel better than ever
(pp.94-117). New York, NY: Little Brown and Company
10. Kresser,C (n.d.). The diet - heart myth. Available from http://my.chriskresser.com/ebook/the-
diet-heart-myth/
11. Marten, B., Pfeuffer,M.,& Schrezenmeir, J. (2006). Medium-chain triglycerides. International
Dairy Journal,16(11),1374-1382. doi:10.1016/j.idairyj.2006.06.015
12. Sinatra, S (2015). Foods high in saturated fats aren’t the enemy. Retrieved from:
http://www.drsinatra.com/foods-high-in-saturated-fat-arent-the-enemy/
13. St-Onge, M., & Jones, P. J. H. (2002). Physiological effects of medium-chain triglycerides:
Potential agents in the prevention of obesity. The Journal of Nutrition, 132(3),329.