Are There Healthy Fats?
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Andy writes: I read that saturated fats actually help improve the health of your heart, bones, liver, brain and immune system. Is this true?
Dear Andy,
No, this is not true. Saturated fat is the main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol. It has been linked with heart disease. It can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and should be eaten in small amounts. Saturated fat is solid at room temperature and is found mostly in foods from animals, such as beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy products made from whole and 2 percent milk. All of these foods also contain dietary cholesterol.
The unsaturated fats (Omega-3, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated) have good health benefits and can support lowering triglyceride levels and the risk of heart disease. Sources of unsaturated fats include flaxseed, fatty fish, such as salmon and albacore tuna, nuts, seeds, olives, and both olive and canola oils.
5/21/2010 11:35:01 AM I have read that there are many positive benefits to adding saturated fat to the diet: Improved cardiovascular risk - reduces the levels of lipoprotein ant that correlates strongly with risk for heart disease. Stronger bones - saturated fat is required for calcium to be effectively incorporated into bone Liver health - saturated fat has been shown to protect the liver from alcohol and medications Healthy brain - the brain is mainly comprised of fat and cholesterol and most of the fatty acids in the brain are actually saturated. Skimping on healthy saturated fats robs your brain of the raw materials need for optimum function Strong immune system - saturated fats found in butter and coconut oil (myristic acid and lauric acid) play key roles in immune health. Loss of sufficient saturated fatty acids in white blood cells hampers their ability to recognize and destroy foreign invaders, such as viruses, bacteria and fungi.