|
Damaged fats are trans-fats, oxidized (rancid) fats, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats and fake fats. They disrupt normal cellular function. They accelerate aging because they increase the risk of degenerative diseases of aging, causing hormone imbalances that put fat on the body mostly in the midsection. They probably add to skin laxity and wrinkling with aging as well. Trans-fats are polyunsaturated fats that have become damaged when their molecular structure is altered by excessive heat. They kill off cells because they clog the porous areas of the cell membrane and nutrients are obstructed from entering the cell at these points. Cellular waste products can't get out either. Monosaturated fats can become trans-fats at very high temperatures. Oxidized fats, commonly known as rancid fats, are damaged by exposure to oxygen in the air. This can occur with butter left out in a clear container or oils left out in large, clear, loose closing bottles. Keeping Fats and oils in airtight, opaque containers slows down this process. Rancid fats are free radicals and can cause injury to your tissues, particularly the blood vessels which can harden (athrosclerosis) and lead to hypertension and other cardiovascular disease. If butter turns darker yellow or oils darken or turn brownish, they are rancid and need to be discarded. Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils have been turned from their natural liquid form to a solid by adding hydrogen molecules. This process predominantly turns the molecules of the oil into trans-fat. Please review trans-fat again. Realize that trans-fats are altered molecularly and the body cannot recognize them as nutrients for rebuilding the body in the same way it does good fats that have not been damaged. The trans-fat alterations have moved them away from being food and closer to becoming like plastic. Fake fats have been formulated to satify the palates of people prescribed a low fat diet. The body cannot absorb them and becomes essential fatty acid deficient. Insulin levels then go up and the adrenal glands suffer stress for lack of essential fatty acids needed to make hormones. In this situation the fat soluable vitamins A, D, E, and K, are not effectively absorbed. The problems that can arise from deficiency of these vitamins is outlined in the Vitamin and Mineral Profiles in the Supplement & Herb section. Taking fatty acid supplements while on a low fat diet can help this situation. As far as the loss of the enhancement of taste in a fat reduced diet, creative use of herbs and spices can make bland foods more interesting. Adding sugar to make up for taste alterations that comes from reducing fat content in food is counterproductive. Lipids Lipids is the name of a group of substances that includes fats, oils, fatty acids, cholesterol, triglycerides and lipoproteins. Lipids are the predominating building blocks for the membranes of the cells, which can be thought of as porous walls with checks and balance gates that allows nutrients in and waste products out. Without them, cells cannot regenerate and will die. Lean tissue weight loss and lax, dull skin with lesions can be a sign of lipid deficiency. More widely known is the fact that excessive consumption of lipids can harm the body as well, contributing to obesity and the developement of cardiovascular disease. At room temperature, oils are liquid and fats are solid. Both are referred to as dietary fat. Fats are the most calorie dense nutrient having 9 calories per gram. The standard American diet (SAD) contains about 50% of the total daily calories from fats or oils, a problem compounded by the fact that many of these are damaged. The American Heart Association recommends a daily intake of fat or oil not exceed 30% of the total daily calories. This translates to about 80 to 100 grams a day. A healthy way to approach this is to get the best balance of the different types of fats and oils so that there is a balance in the availability of the essential fatty acids (EFAs) the body needs. There are three types of fatty acids, saturated, monosaturated and polyunsaturated. Saturated - contained in animal products such as meat and dairy, and palm and coconut oils. Saturated fats are important for brain function, to build cell membranes, and to provide a form of energy. It takes a normal functioning metabolism to burn these efficiently. Avoiding the adverse effects of saturated fats is as dependent on a fine tuned metabolism as it is on injesting the appropriate amounts. These adverse effects result in higher insulin levels, increases in cholesterol and triglycerides, elevations in blood pressure, inflammation that affects everything in the body but is felt most often in the joints, and weight gain or inability to loose weight. These frequently lead to diabetes, hypertension, plaque buildup in the arteries and probably play a major role in the development of degenerative joint disease. Monosaturated - found in the vegetable oils, canola, sesame and olive. They are also found in almonds, avacados, cashews, macadamia nuts, olives, peanuts, pistachios, and sesame seeds as well as sesame tahini and the butters made from those nuts. These oils have only a few hydrogen atoms and are liquid at room temperature, firming up when refrigerated. They can be damaged depending on the process by which they are extracted from their plant source. Very high heat can turn them into trans-fats. Moderately high temperatures do not damage monosaturated fats making them the best to use for cooking. Cold pressed is best to buy but can be costly. Cultures that have traditionally used this type of oil in their diets have a significantly lower incidence of cardiovascular disease. These cultures also tend to use whole, fresh foods which also play a large role in their heart and blood vessel health. Polyunsaturated - found in the other vegetable oils like corn and sunflower oils. They remain mostly liquid even in colder temperatures. They have a few more hydrogen atoms than the monosaturated and their molecular structure make them much more susceptable to oxidation and rancidity. Their molecular structure also makes them easier for the body to break down and utilize. Good practices with these oils would be to buy cold pressed, buy the smallest bottle, keep it in an airtight, opaque container, and some say to refrigerate oils but there is debate for and against this last point. Fatty Acids The liver converts fatty acids from one form to another when needed for balanced bodily functions. The essential fatty acids cannot be synthesized in the body. The body requires a balancing between the Omega 3 and the Omega 6 fatty acids. There is no recommended dietary allowance for these fatty acids. It is generally recommended that 1 to 3 grams of Omega 3 be consumed a day with about 3 times that of the Omega 6 fatty acids. Linoleic acid (LA - 18:2w6) is one of two EFAs and heads the Omega 6 group. The liver cannot synthsize it. It needs to be present in the diet or taken in supplement form. Linoleic Acid is found in safflower, sunflower, hemp, soybean, walnut, pumpkin, sesame, and flax oils. New genetic varieties of high oleic safflower and sunflower now contain only small quantities of LA whereas before they were the richest sources. Arachidonic acid (AA - 20: 4w6) is another very important Omega 6 fatty acid for overall cellular health. It is found in small amounts in animal fats and can be made in the body through the conversion of LA. It is not found in peanut oil. Gamma linoleic acid (GLA - 18:3w6) another Omega 6 fatty acid, is found in primrose, borage leaves, and spirulina, but it can also be made by the body through the conversion of alpha linoleic acid which happen to be an Omega 3 fatty acid. Borage is the richest source of GLA at more than 20% with black currant oil containing about 15% and evening primrose oil containing 9%. GLA is usually not found in human milk despite claims to the contrary. Dibomogamma linolenic acid (DGLA) is found in mother's milk from which the body produces series 1 prostaglandins. Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) is the other EFA, essential because the body cannot make it. It is important because it heads up the Omega 3 group of fatty acids. ALA needs to be in the diet or supplemented for those on low fat diets. Once injested, the body converts ALA to the Omega 3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA are found primarily in fish. Fish oil supplements are very beneficial but be sure to take pure products. ALA is highly concentrated in certain plant oils such as flaxseed oil and to a lesser extent canola, soy, perilla, and walnut oils. Wild plants such as puslane contain ALA. The unique biochemical structure of ALA is important and helps to make it a key player in immunity, vision, cell membranes, and the production of hormone like compounds. Some signs of ALA deficiency are the loss of coordination, onset of tremor and/or tingling, and diminished vision. Conclusion Eating fat helps to control your appetite. Ingested fat stimulates the secretion of a hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK) which goes to the brain and communicates that food is in the stomach and stimulates the gall bladder to contract and release digestive bile which facilitates fat absorption. Nausea will occur if too much CCK is produced. The amount of fat ingested determines the amount of CCK produced. Over eating fat could cause not only nausea but vomiting, abdominal cramping, and loose stool or stools that are foul smelling and float in the toilet. It is important to monitor the amount of fats in your diet to get a balance of the different types of fatty acids. Eating foods containing saturated, monosaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids will help to insure this happens. References The fatty acid information came from course materials provided by the non-profit educational company, The Institute of Functional Medicine, during the week long course Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice, March, 2005, Seattle, WA. Susan Taney, N.P.
|
||||||