Unsaturated Fats and Saturated Fats

Fats are the most valuable food known to man. They serve 4 purposes in the diet.

1. Fats contain the most energy as well as important nutrients such as the important essential fatty acids, sterols and the vitamins your body needs every day.
2. They are required for prostaglandin and hormone production and for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins into your blood stream through the intestines.
3. They also make food palatable; foods with little or no fat tend to be bland and boring.
4. They create satiety via the release of various hormones and result in normal bowel function.

You may have heard of the term saturated, mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats. These terms indicate how stable they are. Saturated fats are the most stable, Poly-unsaturated are the least. This is why Poly-unsaturated fats in Margarine and cooking oils must be kept in the fridge to prevent them from going rancid. They oxidize easily just like iron goes rusty. They also produce harmful free radicals especially when heated, not to mention the dangerous trans-fats present.

There are no such problems with mono-unsaturated fats such as olive oil or fats found in meats, eggs and dairy products. They resist oxidation and produce few free radicals.

There is one more major difference between animals fats and vegetable oils, As well as saturated fats, animal fats contain the 3 essential fatty acids Omega 3 alpha linolenic acid, Omega 6 linolenic acid and Arachidonic acid.
The Linolenic acid is present around 3 % concentration, which satisfies requirement in the body' for this vital nutrient. Plant based poly-unsaturated margarines and cooking oils contain between 40 and 75% Linolenic Acid and at this rate it is known to compromise the immune system. In the early days of organ transplants linolenic Acid was used to suppress the immune system to prevent tissue rejection.

What we consider to be amongst the most serious dietary myths is that saturated fats are bad for us, that they are the modern villains in the modern diet, causing everything from cancer to heart disease. Children need traditional fats-saturated fats in particular. The low-fat Standard American or Australian diet being promoted starves them of vital nutrients during their formative years.

The vital roles of Saturated Fat.

1. Cell Membranes should be 50% saturated fatty acids-main type of fat in brain cells.
2. Bones- saturated fats help the body put calcium in the bones-makes strong bones.
3. Heart Function-saturated fats are preferred food for the heart-athletic performance, endurance.
4. Liver-saturated fats protect the liver from alcohol and other poisons.
5. Lungs- Cant' function without saturated fats-protects against asthma.
6. Kidneys-Cannot function without saturated fats
7. Immune System-enhanced by saturated fats-fights infection.
8. Essential Fatty Acids- Work together with saturated fats-needed for brain function, healthy skin.

Since 1926 consumption of butter has dropped drastically, at the same time cancer and heart disease have soared. Science does not have all the answers to what causes cancer and heart disease but for sure it is not the consumption of butter because these trends are going in the opposite direction.

In the late 1940 chemicals were used to suppress the thyroid function of pigs, so they would become fatter while on the same amount of food. They discovered that corn and soybean oil had the same anti-thyroid effect.

When the immune system is depressed, the entire body is subjected to a greater degree of harm from micro-organisms and toxins, including free radicals. Unsaturated oils have been linked to numerous degenerative conditions.

Things change as we improve our condition hence checking every now and then is so important to me. Last but not least, think about your car! When you have a car you like would you look after it or just wait till it falls into a heap!!