Health and Nutrition

Fat Facts – saturated fats versus unsaturated: Are we wrong

Fats and oils are simply essential for optimal health. They are important to the cells of your body, an energy source and offer a variety of hormones.

The respected medical journal The Lancet (v339, 3/21/93) comments that low-fat diets are associated with higher rates of depression, psychological problems, fatigue, violence and suicide (3).

Why all the bad advertising? Like father A glance at the history of dietary fat and heart disease.

Before 1920 coronary heart disease (CHD) is rare in the United States but by mid-fifties, was the leading cause of death among Americans (which corresponds with most Western countries). What has changed?

In 1953, the American doctor Ancel Keys found that foods rich in fat was the culprit. He began to show by comparing mortality CC and amount of fat consumed in some countries suggest a positive correlation. However, it seems Dr. Key has been very selective in the country you have chosen. Data the 22 countries that have potential, only six chose to support his hypothesis, which eventually painted a very different.

Dr. Uffe Ravnskov in his book "The Cholesterol Myths "by exposing the error that saturated fats cause heart disease cholesterol," Dr. Key said with a selection of hits only six countries and a comparison with the complete table with all 22 countries that shows no correlation everyone.

But Mr. Keys was very convincing at times and as hypothesis of the "diet / heart" is born. How, with such dramatic defects, this assumption may recommend a reduction saturated fat and cholesterol have also continued and brought to a mixture may ask? Proponents point hypothesis "diet / heart of the beneficiaries finger. The main beneficiaries of research error found in competition with traditional foods were vegetable oil and food processing industries, which, So then began to promote and fund research designed to further support the plan "/ heart hypothesis.

Of course the "power / heart" came from several large-scale human studies of long-term intervention applied in many parts of the world. These involve thousands of subjects and hundreds of doctors and scientists that cost billions of dollars to prove that high-fat diet causes heart disease.

The study of heart disease most influential and respected was conducted by Harvard University Medical School and called the Framingham Heart Study. This study has influenced in determining our current dietary fat recommendations – such as reducing saturated fat and cholesterol – and measured the cholesterol and saturated fats with cholesterol Subsequent blood. However, after 22 years, researchers have concluded:

"It is, in short, no suggestion of a relationship between diet and subsequent development of coronary disease in the study group (1). So why are we always said that you may ask? Good Question!

Nathan Pritikin is quoted to have played in moving low-fat diet. Their weight loss programs has been very successful start. An element can include a reduction fat. However, it also called for the elimination of sugar, white flour and all processed foods and replace them with fresh, whole program intense exercise, which obviously makes it difficult to isolate a single factor. Unfortunately, low-fat diet and fat has proved very difficult to maintain for a period time, more customers suffered from low energy, depression and weight gain (2).

The World Health Organization European Crime Prevention Coronary Study published in 1983 demonstrated once again that there is no correlation between fat and heart disease. The design reduces the saturated fat and only 8% of daily calories, but the section of the subjects in the UK who consume more saturated fat died later (1).

So what the real culprit? Here are some "interesting" facts:

Between 1910 and 1970: animal fat intake decreased from 83% to 62%

Butter consumption decreased from 18 pounds to 4 pounds per year

Margarine, shortening and refined oils consumption increased 400%

Acids acids found in arterial clogs are mostly unsaturated (74%) of which 41% are poly-unsaturated (Lancet 1994, 344:1195) (3)

Today days, heart disease causes at least 40% of deaths in the United States

Let's take a closer fat better understand their differences. Acids acids are classified as follows:

Saturated oils

All carbon bonds are occupied by a hydrogen atom. They are very stable, solid at room environment, and usually do not go rancid, even when heated. For example, coconut oil, butter and lard.

Monounsaturated oils

Double link in the form of two carbon atoms, a double bond in the other, and therefore lack two hydrogen atoms. They tend to be liquid at room temperature like saturated fats are relatively stable, not rancid easily and hence can be used in the kitchen. For example, olive, almond and peanut oil and avocados.

Polyunsaturated oils

Having two or more pairs of double bonds and therefore lacks at least four hydrogen atoms. They stay in state fluid, even when refrigerated, rancid easily and should be treated with caution. These oils should not be reheated or used in cooking. For example, sunflower, soybean, corn and safflower oil.

So the governments of fat, Western and currently most dietitians recommend reducing saturated. However, Saturated fats play many important roles in the body. They are at least 50% of all cell membranes. Strengthen the immune system and protects against microorganisms harmful from entering the digestive tract (2).

Excessive consumption of polyunsaturated oils (which are highly recommended by the government) has been shown to cause many problems health such as heart disease, cancer, immune dysfunction, liver damage and weight gain (2). Which brings us to the recurring question: Why the government continues to recommend? The short answer is that the government is listening to advisers who seek to research and sometimes research is poor and the influence of industry funding of research, such as grain, meat, or dairy …. Know where the money is always good indication of the reliability of the information.

The main reason for the polyunsaturated fat may be harmful because they are oxidized or rancid when subjected heat. Rancid oils are characterized by free radicals that attack cell membranes and red blood cells. New evidence linking free radicals with premature aging and a variety of diseases including cancer.

Now for the really bad guys: hydrogenated trans acids:.

Hydrogenation converts polyunsaturated oils, which are usually liquid at room temperature in solids such as margarine and shortening.

Transmission: (cross-training): one atom hydrogen pair moves toward the other side so that the molecule straightens. Most of these trans: synthetic acidic toxins in the body. Unfortunately, your digestive system does not recognize as tel. The trans fats: end are structurally closer to plastic than fat – seriously! (4)

Here's how to be hydrogenated trans fats:

– Start with a cheap polyunsaturated (eg sunflower oil, corn, soybean and safflower)

– Mix with small metal particles

– Subject to hydrogen gas at high pressure, high temperature reactor

– Add emulsifiers, such as soap to give greater coherence

– Clean with steam at high temperature to eliminate unpleasant odors

– Add colors and strong flavors

– Compress and packaged in blocks and tubs of healthy foods

A food away from a "real health" in my opinion!

The popularity of margarine of butter is a real test of the power of advertising. Otherwise, how can a product with such questionable health risks to sales growth over 400%?

In summary when viewing all the research, Current recommendations for fat consumption reads like a comedy of errors or, perhaps Once satisfied that we have not opened a gap in the statistics of preventable diseases, a horror film. I know many of you who might seem too far-fetched is why we recommend not blindly believe what I say, but check your references (from those listed below) and dig deeper to make your own opinion This will lead to real empowerment for health and family and friends

His coach in 3D
Craig Burton

References
(1) myth http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/choleserol_myth_2.html Cholesterol Part 2
(2) food traditions, Sally Fallon, 2001, Ediciones NewTrends
(3) The Weston A. Price Foundation website www.westonaprice.org
(4) How to eat, move and be in good health, Paul Chek, 2004, CHEK Institute Publication
(5) Total Health, Dr. Mercola, 2004, www.mercola.com
(6) Know your fats: the complete primer for understanding the nutrition of fats, oils and cholesterol, Mary Enig, Ph.D., 1999
(7) The myth of cholesterol by exposing the error that saturated fats and cholesterol cause disease problems heart, Uffe Ravnskov, MD, Ph.D., 2000, Publication NewTrends

About the Author

Article by Craig Burton. Craig is a prominent European based holistic health and fitness coach and founder of 3D Personal Training Systems. Craig is a Sports Science graduate with postgraduate accreditations in nutrition, massage, athletic training, and corrective exercise therapy.
He is the author of “The 21 Day Roadmap to Health” available at http://www.21dayroadmap.com.
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