We have been misled nutritionally for decades and I want you to know the truth. Here it is. Fats are good for you. Good fats are good for you, that is.
Good fats are natural fats such as animal fats (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, duck, goose, butter, ghee), full fat dairy (preferably cultured), fish, eggs, coconut, nuts, seeds, avocado, and cold pressed oils (olive oil, fish oil, nut and seed oils – not heated).
Bad fats are processed fats, hydrogenated fats and cooking vegetable oils. These cause atherosclerosis, heart disease and cancer.[1]
Cooking should be done with stable fats, which when heated do not alter their chemical structure – butter, ghee, coconut oil, and lard. Olive oil, and other good quality cold-pressed oils, are best used unheated.
Below are some excerpts from Natasha Campbell-McBride’s Gut and Psychology Syndrome, which I recently read and enjoyed. Now I’m reading her latest book, which I highly recommend, called Put Your Heart in Your Mouth. There are more book suggestions below the excerpts.
“Contrary to popular beliefs, fat is a preferred source of energy in the human body. Remember, the brain and the rest of the nervous system, as well as our immunity, are largely made of fats.” p. 276
“A human brain is about 60% fat (dry weight). Every membrane of every cell and every organelle inside of cells are made of fats. Many hormones, neurotransmitters and other active substances in the body are made of fats. Fats are extremely important in our diet.” p. 256
“So, what is the truth? What does the real science tell us?
- Processed fats, hydrogenated fats and cooking vegetable oils cause atherosclerosis, heart disease and cancer.
- Animal fats have nothing to do with heart disease, atherosclerosis and cancer. Our human physiology needs these fats; they are important for us to eat on a daily basis.
- Saturated fats are heart protective: they lower Lp(a) in the blood (Lp(a) is a very harmful substance which initiates atherosclerosis in blood vessels), reduce calcium deposition in the arteries and are the preferred source of energy for the heart muscle. Saturated fats enhance our immune system, protect us from infections and are essential for the body to be able to utilize the unsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.”
- Animal fats contain a variety of different fatty acids, not just saturated ones. …Beef fat is 47% monounsaturated, 4% polyunsaturated and 49% saturated. Butter is 30% monounsaturated, 4% polyunsaturated and 52% saturated. This is the natural composition of animal fats and our bodies use every bit.
- We need all of the natural fats in natural foods, and saturated and monounsaturated need to be the largest part of our fat intake.
- The simplistic idea that eating fats makes you fat is completely wrong. Consuming processed carbohydrates cases obesity. Dietary fats go into the structure or your body: your brain, bones, muscles, immune system, etc. – every cell in the body is made out of fats to a large degree.” pp. 258-9
“It is not a good idea to cook with [olive oil or other vegetable oils], as the heat will damage the minor components and change unsaturated fatty acids into harmful trans fatty acids. Cooking should be done with stable fats: ghee (clarified butter), butter, coconut oil, goose and duck fat, pork drippings, lamb fat and lard because they do not alter their chemical structure when heated, and are beneficial to health.” pp. 273-4
Top Ten influences which boost immunity
- fresh animal fats (meats and dairy) and cholesterol rich foods (raw egg yolk)
- cold pressed oils: olive oil, fish oils, nut and seed oils
- onions and garlic
- freshly pressed veg and fruit juices
- regular consumption of greens: parsley, dill, cilantro, spring onions, garlic
- pro-biotic supplements and fermented foods
- contact with animals, pets
- swimming in unpolluted waters
- physical activity in the fresh air
- exposure to sunlight and sensible sunbathing
Ten top influences which damage immunity
- sugar
- processed carbohydrates
- chemically altered and artificial fats
- lack of protein from meat, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds
- exposure to man made chemicals
- man-made radiation
- drugs: antibiotics, steroids, antidepressants, pain-killers, anticancer medications, anti-viral drugs
- lack of fresh air and physical activity
- lack of exposure to sunlight
- lack of exposure to common microbes in the environment – too sterile environment compromises immunity
Books to read:
Death by Food Pyramid by Denise Minger
Put your Heart in your Mouth by Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD
The Fourfold Path to Healing by Thomas S. Cowan, MD
Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food by Catherine Shanahan, MD
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
[1] Natasha Campbell-McBride, Gut and Psychology Syndrome (United Kingdom: Medinform Publishing, 2004), 258-9.