TIP#3.4 Saturated Fat Is King
All the time we hear the same thing; saturated fat is bad for us and we should keep away from it, the worst of all is animal fat as it clogs arteries and raises cholesterol. If you want to live a long healthy life then eat vegetable oil instead... hmm
As a result of this media explosion in health commandments, completely new foods have emerged like margerine - polysaturated fat that has been pumped through with hydrogen to make 'hydrogenated' fat. This process allows the fat to remain rigid at room temperature but also adds hydrogen to the fat molecule, thus altering the molecular structure of the fat making it impossible for the body to recognise, use and excrete. Basically, these molecules stay in and damage our bodies and provide little nutritional sustenance. Vegetable oils tend to be high in omega 6, a fat type that we only need in small amounts. Eating too much can cause inflammation in the body which has negative effects.
What we need is to improve uptake of omega 3 fats from fish, olive and flaxseeds and saturated fat from animal fats (preferably grass fed) and coconut oil. The body needs optimal levels of saturated fats in the diet to function normally. They contribute to cardiovascular health by reducing lipoproteins (heart harmful molecule), needed for calcium absorption for healthy bones, protection of liver from harmful medicines and alcohol and maintains optimal fat storage and distribution. Saturated fat is also used in the lungs as a lubricant and low intake of saturated fats can cause breathing difficulties. Cholesterol (mainly saturated fat) is desperately needed for proper brain function, low intake can reduce health, growth and repair of our brain. Other uses include nerve communication, insulin control and immune system strength. Basically, no other fat is as important as Saturated Fat.
What is important is taking the perspective of common sense; look at all the animals - if you look inside a healthy wild animal, what do you see? Loads of fat, predominantly saturated fat. Visible solid fat in the body and under the skin, around organs, inside organs, around muscles - literally everywhere. It is clearly vital to that animal's health, and a predatory animal couldn't possibly avoid eating it when they catch and consume prey for food. They eat everything, organs, meat, fat, bones, tendons, ligaments, skin. So why are we picking and choosing what's good to eat and what's not? You bet our ancestors didn't throw away fat because it was 'bad for them'. If you want to avoid something, avoid trans/hydrogenated fats, refined sugars and too many carboydrates.
Knowing the vital importance of this King Fat in our bodies, priorotising it in a muscle building/fitness diet is a no-brainer. Start with fat making up 30% of your daily caloric intake, reducing carbs to no higher than 20%. Experiment with the ratio between fat and protein to find out what works for you. You must commit 100% to each diet to really compare benefits of different ratios.
Thank you for reading!
Matt
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