FertilehealthyAiming for success, not perfection…

In our quest to balance our hormones, and thereby regulate our weight and regain our fertility, the correct consumption of dietary fat is of the utmost importance.

Unfortunately, as with so many other foods, misinformation and confusion abound and we are left to make some sense of all the terms being thrown at us, like saturated fats, unsaturated fats, poly-unsaturated fats, mono-unsaturated fats, trans-fats, hydrogenated fats, partially-hydrogenated fats, cholesterol, Omega 3, Omega 6, Essential Fatty Acids, etc.  One day we’re told that the Mediterranean diet is the way to go, and the next day we’re told that we need to be totally fat-free.  Is butter better than margarine?  Fish or flax?  No wonder people just give up and eat whatever is cheapest and most readily available!

The truth is that our bodies need fats in order to function properly.  That is why certain fats are called “essential”.   When we don’t get these fats we will find ourselves constantly craving salty foods like fries, cheese, chips, etc.  (Not that these foods provide the right kind of fats, but because we have forgotten how to interpret the body’s signals!).  Lack of the Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) result in allergies, blood sugar fluctuations, blood pressure fluctuations, arthritis, constipation, sleep problems, skin problems, heart irregularities, weight problems, menstrual problems and problems with the liver.

The two essential fats we need to consume daily are Omega 3 and Omega 6.  Omega 9 is not considered  an EFA, as the body readily manufactures it from Omega 3 and Omega 6.

So why do we need these fats?

-  Fat helps regulate body temperature

-  Fat is a source of energy

-  Fat provides padding and insulation for the organs and nerves

-  Fats help with the absorption of the fat-solluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

 - They allow the endocrine (hormonal) system to function correctly, thereby ensuring that the right amount of hormones are produced at the right time.

-  Fats help with the production of vitamin B12 in the intestines

-  Fats enable the body to utilize calcium and phosphorus optimally

Omega 6 fats are easily obtained from a natural diet, as it is present in abundance in fruit and vegetables, as well as nuts and seeds.  But if you eat only processed foods you may find yourself developing symptoms of Omega 6 definiciency, such as heart and circulatory problems, skin rashes, arthritis, impaired immunity, kidney degeneration, hair loss, lower sperm counts in males and an increased risk of miscarriage. 

More common, however, are deficiencies in Omega 3, which is predominantly found in flaxseeds & flax oil, hemp seed and its oil and green leafy vegetables.  The symptoms include high blood pressure, low metabolic rate, immune dysfunction, water retention, dry skin, impaired vision, learning disabilities, weakness, etc.

Fish oil does not contain Omega 3, only two of the five derivatives of Omega 3.  Furthermore, fish oil is extracted using heat, is high in cholesterol and is often polluted with heavy metals like mercury.  The fish oil / flax oil debate has been raging for years, but I feel more comfortable with flax (or hemp, for that matter).

From a health point of view, the most important thing we need to concern ourselves with when it comes to fats is whether the fat has been heated or not.

The human body cannot deal with fats that have been heated to more than 100-160°C (212-320°F), depending on the type of fat.  Heated fats wreak havoc with our hormonal systems and predispose us to cancer, heart disease, obesity, infertility, etc (depending on our unique genetic weak spots).

Heated fats are found in all baked goods and fried foods.  Many oils are extracted from plants using repeated heating processes.  Unless your bottle of olive oil states clearly that the oil has been cold-pressed, you should avoid buying it.  Usually the first pressing would be cold, using compression only, and subsequent pressings would involve heat.

Needless to say, we shouldn’t be heating oils while cooking either!  I use a technique called dry stir-frying where I heat the pan until very hot, add the food and turn it over continually.  When it starts sticking, I add a tablespoon of liquid (stock or water) at a time.  If I want a little bit of olive oil, I add it after cooking.  Similarly, I dry roast my veggies and coat them with oil (if desired) afterwards.

If you really must heat an oil, the safest one to use is coconut oil, as it is stable at higher temperatures (and it imparts a lovely flavor to food!)

I’m sure you’re also aware of the butter vs margarine debate.  It’s actually really simple:  margarine is an unnatural and highly processed product that has been heated many times, bleached, neutralized with caustic soda, and preserved in sodium benzoate, which is known to cause fetal damage and asthma. I personally won’t touch it!  Organic butter and cream can be safely used in small quantities (although they should not be heated).

Trans-fats, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats do not exist in nature and have severe adverse health consequences.  They interfere with the body’s production of fatty acids, affect the metabolism and promote heart disease.  Many countries are now starting to pass legislation banning trans-fats, but don’t get too complacent – the replacement, interesterified fat,  is deemed even worse by experts!  One more reason to wean yourself off processed food and start eating natural, whole foods…

But what about cholesterol?  Doesn’t cholesterol cause heart disease and cancer?

Cholesterol serves a very important purpose in our bodies, namely to manufacture cell membranes, nerve tissue, hormones and bile acids used to digest food.  But cholesterol is not “essential”, meaning that our bodies produce the right amount of cholesterol as needed.

The problems arise when we consume extra cholesterol in our diets.  It is important to note that plants do not produce cholesterol, only animals.  Dietary cholesterol, meaning animal products, should be kept at an absolute minimum.

The “saturated” in saturated fats and unsaturated fats refer to the available open links in their chemical structure.  The more open links they have, the bigger the ability to bond in the body and perform useful functions. 

Saturated fats, like butter, have no open links, and are therefore not very useful in the body.  They contribute easily to weight gain and should be used very sparingly.

There are two types of unsaturated fats – mono (one open link) and poly (many open links).  They are found in all fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Unsaturated fats pick up cholesterol in the blood stream and transport it to where it’s needed to make hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, to control appetite, water retention and metabolism and to manufacture vitamin D from sunlight.

So, while we don’t need a lot of fat in our diets, we need to make sure that we get enough of the correct fats daily.  That means, mostly natural, unheated and unprocessed plant fats (like flax oil, or ground flax seeds, hemp oil, cold-pressed plant oils, avocado pears, nuts and seeds, olives and organic corn on the cob) and a very limited and occasional intake of unheated animal fats.  The hardest part for anyone making the transition is to learn to avoid ALL processed and heated fats, but it can be done!

Your body will thank you in spades…  As Karla from Living a Whole Life mentioned to me this week, even your calluses will soften and disappear!

Sources:

Perfect Health:  The Natural Way - Mary-Ann Shearer

Eat to Live - Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill: The Complete Guide to Fats, Oils, Cholesterol and Human Health -  Udo Erasmus