For Optimal Health You Need To Eat More Fat - The Truth about Saturated Fat

The idea that saturated fat is bad for your heart has become so ingrained in the medical and health community that it's very difficult to break through that misinformation barrier. The fact of the matter is that the saturated fat-heart disease link was a hypothesis that did not stand up to further scrutiny.  There is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CHD [coronary heart disease] or CVD [stroke and cardiovascular disease].

Emerging evidence actually suggests your diet should be at least half healthy fat, and possibly as high as 70 percent. Paul Jaminet, PhD., author of Perfect Health Diet, and Dr. Ron Rosedale, M.D., an expert on treating diabetes through diet, agree that the ideal diet includes somewhere between 50-70 percent fat. It's important to understand that your body requires saturated fats from animal and vegetable sources (such as meat, dairy, certain oils, and tropical plants like coconut) for optimal functioning.

Why a High-Fat Diet is Healthier than a Low-Fat Diet

When your body burns non-vegetable carbohydrates like grains and sugars, powerful adverse hormonal changes typically occur. These detrimental changes do not occur when you consume fibrous vegetables or healthy fats. This likely explains the mountain of scientific evidence showing that calorie restricted diets extend lifespan.

Mostly likely it is not a calorie issue per se, but rather it's related to the type of calories restricted—specifically calories from sugars and grains. As stated earlier, the National Institutes of Health makes a statement that is diametrically opposed to the truth when they say that the source of the calories are not as important as the overall number of calories consumed. On the contrary, the source of the calories you eat has far greater impact on your weight and health than the overall number.

According to Dr. Robert Lustig, fructose in particular is 'isocaloric but not isometabolic." This means you can have the same amount of calories from fructose or glucose, fructose and protein, or fructose and fat, but the metabolic effect will be entirely different despite the identical calorie count.

In the same vein, Weight Watchers also finally caught on to this truth and altered their famous calorie counting system to give more weight to nutritional value of food rather than just counting calories. It's really important to understand that all calories CANNOT be treated the same—especially if you're struggling with excess weight and/or health issues! So please, understand that it's far more important to look at the source of the calories than counting them.

And saturated fats, although supplying more calories, will NOT cause you to get fat, nor will it promote heart disease.

Back in 2004, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report accurately concluded that carbohydrates (read sugars/fructose and grains) are the reason why Americans have been consuming increasing numbers of calories over the past 30-plus years. The number one source of calories in the American diet is in the form of high fructose corn syrup, primarily in the form of breads and sodas. Half of the U.S. population over age 2 consumes sugary drinks daily, and this is a primary factor driving obesity and related epidemics of diabetes and heart disease.

Obesity rates jumped from 14.5 percent of U.S. adults in 1971, to nearly 28 percent in 2010. Previous research linked this increase to a greater intake of salty snacks, pizza and other fast foods — in other words, a greater intake of carbohydrates, not healthful fats.

Most People Need Less Carbs, More Fat

Today, I believe it's safe to say that most people eat far too many carbs and not enough healthy saturated fats, and their health suffers accordingly. Severely limiting grain carbs and sugars, while simultaneously increasing your fat consumption can be the U-turn you've been looking for if you are currently overweight and/or your health is suffering.

As a general rule, when you cut down on carbs, you need to increase your fat consumption. Both are sources of much-needed energy, but fats are a source of energy that is far more ideal than carbohydrates. Replacing carbs with more protein is not a wise choice as it can produce similar adverse hormonal changes as burning non-vegetable carbs.

Using Hunger as a Guide to Determine How Much Fat You Need

Many do not realize this, but frequent hunger may be a major clue that you're not eating correctly. Not only is it an indication that you're consuming the wrong types of food, but it's also a sign that you're likely consuming them in lopsided ratios for your individual biochemistry.

Fat is far more satiating than carbs, so if you have cut down on carbs and feel ravenous, thinking you "can't do without the carbs," remember this is a sign that you haven't replaced them with sufficient amounts of fat. So go ahead and add a bit more. You do want to make sure you're adding the correct types of fat though. And vegetable oils like canola and corn oil, which the National Institutes of Health recommends is NOT on the healthy list.

Old Habits Die Hard

This article was taken from Live Pure and is a good summary of what I have been wanting to write for some time.  This is congruent with the Nutritional Balancing diet programs.  Decreasing carbs, but not vegetables is key, as is ensuring you get the right amounts of protein and fats.  For those of you on the Nutrtional Balancing program please have a re-read of your dietary handout.  If you can't find it just email me and I'll be sure to get a new one out to you asap.

Mindset and beliefs die hard.  Most of you reading this will really struggle with the idea that fats are good as they have been made out to be evil but the science is in.  Hanging on to old facts will not help you get well.  

Good luck with the changes and please let me know your positive and limiting thoughts and beliefs when it comes to fat!