The Fat .. The Other Side - Human & Disease

The Fat .. The Other Side


- What is the Big Fat Lie ?

- What is The Bad Fat ? 

-  What does fat do for you ? 


The Big Fat Lie:

For decades, fat has been seen as the “bad” component of the diet. Low- and no-fat has become synonymous with being healthy. These ideas, of course, are untrue. In fact, fat is one of the most beneficial substances in your diet, and is often the missing ingredient in developing and maintaining optimal health and human performance. But an ongoing, well-financed misinformation campaign against fat has misled the public to an epidemic of fat phobia. Just think of the billions of dollars spent each year on low-fat and fat-free foods and you’ll understand why you might not have been told the whole truth about fat.


For decades, fat has been seen as the “bad” component of the diet. Low- and no-fat has become synonymous with being healthy. These ideas, of course, are untrue. In fact, fat is one of the most beneficial substances in your diet, and is often the missing ingredient in developing and maintaining optimal health and human performance. But an ongoing, well-financed misinformation campaign against fat has misled the public to an epidemic of fat phobia. Just think of the billions of dollars spent each year on low-fat and fat-free foods and you’ll understand why you might not have been told the whole truth about fat. In addition, this anti-fat campaign has contributed to actual deficiencies in fat that have contributed to various diseases. The bottom line on dietary fat: Too much or too little is dangerous. It’s simply a question of balancing your intake.
The Fat











 In addition, this anti-fat campaign has contributed to actual deficiencies in fat that have contributed to various diseases. The bottom line on dietary fat: Too much or too little is dangerous. It’s simply a question of balancing your intake.

First, let’s define fat a term that also includes oil. Fats are found in concentrated forms such as vegetable oils, butter, egg yolk, cheese and other naturally occurring foods, and in less concentrated forms that make up the content of almost all natural foods. And some foods contain very small fat components that are as essential as all other nutrients.

Virtually all natural fats are healthy. As noted above, eating a balance of fats is most important. In general, eating too much of one type of fat, such as too much saturated fat from dairy products or too much omega-6 fat from vegetable oil, is an example of a fat imbalance that can adversely affect health. In addition, eating “bad” fats those that are artificial and highly processed, such as trans fat and overheated fats in fried foods, can cause serious health problems. Foods such as chips, French fries and fried chicken, to name just a few, are examples of those containing bad fat.

Dietary fats have been a staple for humans throughout evolution.Ironically many people are learning of the true importance of fats in the diet only since the low-fat trend of the last few decades. This is not news, really. Scientists have known of the importance of fat in the diet since the discoveries in 1929 by researchers who demonstrated the necessity of dietary fat. Before discussing these issues which fats are best and how can they be balanced let’s highlight some of the many healthy functions of fat.







Dietary fats have been a staple for humans throughout evolution.Ironically many people are learning of the true importance of fats in the diet only since the low-fat trend of the last few decades. This is not news, really. Scientists have known of the importance of fat in the diet since the discoveries in 1929 by researchers who demonstrated the necessity of dietary fat. Before discussing these issues which fats are best and how can they be balanced let’s highlight some of the many healthy functions of fat.

• Disease Prevention and Treatment:

 Certain dietary fats consumed in balanced proportions can actually help prevent many diseases. For instance, we now know that dietary fats are central to controlling inflammation,which is the first stage of most chronic diseases. And, selectively increasing certain dietary fats has been shown to reduce the growth or spreading of cancer and improving recovery in heart disease. Many brain problems, including cognitive dysfunction such as Alzheimer’s disease, can also be treated with fats. A healthy brain is more than 60 percent fat.


The Big Fat Lie: For decades, fat has been seen as the “bad” component of the diet. Low- and no-fat has become synonymous with being healthy. These ideas, of course, are untrue. In fact, fat is one of the most beneficial substances in your diet, and is often the missing ingredient in developing and maintaining optimal health and human performance. But an ongoing, well-financed misinformation campaign against fat has misled the public to an epidemic of fat phobia. Just think of the billions of dollars spent each year on low-fat and fat-free foods and you’ll understand why you might not have been told the whole truth about fat. For decades, fat has been seen as the “bad” component of the diet. Low- and no-fat has become synonymous with being healthy. These ideas, of course, are untrue. In fact, fat is one of the most beneficial substances in your diet, and is often the missing ingredient in developing and maintaining optimal health and human performance. But an ongoing, well-financed misinformation campaign against fat has misled the public to an epidemic of fat phobia. Just think of the billions of dollars spent each year on low-fat and fat-free foods and you’ll understand why you might not have been told the whole truth about fat. In addition, this anti-fat campaign has contributed to actual deficiencies in fat that have contributed to various diseases. The bottom line on dietary fat: Too much or too little is dangerous. It’s simply a question of balancing your intake.










• Energy:

 The aerobic system depends on fat as the fuel for the aerobic muscles, which power us through the day. Fat produces energy, and prevents excessive dependency upon sugar, especially blood sugar. Fat provides more than twice as much potential energy as carbohydrates do, 9 calories per gram as opposed to only 4 calories. Your body is capable of obtaining much of its energy from fat, up to 80 or 90 percent, if your fat-burning mechanism is working efficiently. The body even uses fat as a source of energy for heart-muscle function. These fats called phospholipids normally are contained in the heart muscle and generate energy to make it work more efficiently.


The Big Fat Lie: For decades, fat has been seen as the “bad” component of the diet. Low- and no-fat has become synonymous with being healthy. These ideas, of course, are untrue. In fact, fat is one of the most beneficial substances in your diet, and is often the missing ingredient in developing and maintaining optimal health and human performance. But an ongoing, well-financed misinformation campaign against fat has misled the public to an epidemic of fat phobia. Just think of the billions of dollars spent each year on low-fat and fat-free foods and you’ll understand why you might not have been told the whole truth about fat. For decades, fat has been seen as the “bad” component of the diet. Low- and no-fat has become synonymous with being healthy. These ideas, of course, are untrue. In fact, fat is one of the most beneficial substances in your diet, and is often the missing ingredient in developing and maintaining optimal health and human performance. But an ongoing, well-financed misinformation campaign against fat has misled the public to an epidemic of fat phobia. Just think of the billions of dollars spent each year on low-fat and fat-free foods and you’ll understand why you might not have been told the whole truth about fat. In addition, this anti-fat campaign has contributed to actual deficiencies in fat that have contributed to various diseases. The bottom line on dietary fat: Too much or too little is dangerous. It’s simply a question of balancing your intake.










• Hormones:

 The hormonal system is responsible for controlling virtually all healthy functions of the body. But for this system to function properly, the body must produce proper amounts of the appropriate hormones. These are produced in various glands, and dependent on fat for production of hormones. The adrenal glands, the thymus, thyroid, kidneys and other glands use fats to help make hormones. Cholesterol is one of the fats used for the production of hormones such as progesterone and cortisone. The thymus gland regulates immunity and the body’s defense systems. The thyroid regulates temperature, weight and other metabolic functions. The kidney’s hormones help regulate blood pressure, circulation and filtering of blood. Some hormonal problems are associated with body fat content that’s too low. For example,some women with very low body fat, from too much exercise or very poor diet habits, experience disruptions in their menstrual cycle. In older women, this may also affect menopausal symptoms

• Eicosanoids:

 Hormone-like substances called eicosanoids are necessary for such normal cellular function as regulating inflammation, hydration, circulation and free-radical activity. Produced from dietary fats, eicosanoids are especially important for their role in controlling inflammation the precursor of many chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Many people who have inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis, colitis, tendinitis conditions with names ending in “itis” probably have an eicosanoid imbalance. But in many more people, chronic inflammation goes on silently. Eicosanoids are also important for regulating blood pressure and hydration. An imbalance can trigger constipation or diarrhea. Eicosanoid imbalance may also be associated with menstrual cramps, blood clotting, tumor growth and other problems.

• Insulation:

 The body’s ability to store fat permits humans to live in most climates, especially in areas of extreme heat or cold. In warmer areas of the world, stored fat provides protection from the heat. In colder lands, increased fat stored beneath the skin prevents too much heat from leaving the body. An example of fat’s effectiveness as an insulator is in the Eskimo’s ability to withstand great cold and survive in good health.


The Big Fat Lie: For decades, fat has been seen as the “bad” component of the diet. Low- and no-fat has become synonymous with being healthy. These ideas, of course, are untrue. In fact, fat is one of the most beneficial substances in your diet, and is often the missing ingredient in developing and maintaining optimal health and human performance. But an ongoing, well-financed misinformation campaign against fat has misled the public to an epidemic of fat phobia. Just think of the billions of dollars spent each year on low-fat and fat-free foods and you’ll understand why you might not have been told the whole truth about fat. For decades, fat has been seen as the “bad” component of the diet. Low- and no-fat has become synonymous with being healthy. These ideas, of course, are untrue. In fact, fat is one of the most beneficial substances in your diet, and is often the missing ingredient in developing and maintaining optimal health and human performance. But an ongoing, well-financed misinformation campaign against fat has misled the public to an epidemic of fat phobia. Just think of the billions of dollars spent each year on low-fat and fat-free foods and you’ll understand why you might not have been told the whole truth about fat. In addition, this anti-fat campaign has contributed to actual deficiencies in fat that have contributed to various diseases. The bottom line on dietary fat: Too much or too little is dangerous. It’s simply a question of balancing your intake.









Eskimos eat a high-fat diet, and despite this have a very low incidence of heart disease and other ailments. In warmer climates, fat prevents too much water from leaving the body, which can result in dehydration that causes dry, scaly skin. Some evaporation is normal, of course, but fats under the skin regulate evaporation and can prevent as much as 10 to 20 times more water from leaving the body.

• Healthy Skin and Hair:

 Fat has protective qualities that also give skin the soft, smooth and unwrinkled appearance that many people try to achieve through expensive skin conditioners. The healthy look of skin comes from the fat inside. The same is true for your hair. Fats, including cholesterol, also serve as an insulating barrier within the skin. Without this protection, water and water-soluble substances such as chemical pollutants would enter the body through the skin. With the proper balance and amounts of fats in your diet, your skin and hair develop a healthy appearance. If you’ve been looking for the ideal skin and hair product, you can have it by balancing the fats in your diet.


Fat has protective qualities that also give skin the soft, smooth and unwrinkled appearance that many people try to achieve through expensive skin conditioners. The healthy look of skin comes from the fat inside. The same is true for your hair. Fats, including cholesterol, also serve as an insulating barrier within the skin. Without this protection, water and water-soluble substances such as chemical pollutants would enter the body through the skin. With the proper balance and amounts of fats in your diet, your skin and hair develop a healthy appearance. If you’ve been looking for the ideal skin and hair product, you can have it by balancing the fats in your diet.











• Pregnancy and Lactation:

 The effective functioning of the hormonal system is important to both would-be parents. Once conception does take place, fats are important to the continued good health of the mother and child. The uterus must maintain the health of the newly conceived embryo by providing nutrition until the placenta can begin to function, usually a period of a week or more.


The effective functioning of the hormonal system is important to both would-be parents. Once conception does take place, fats are important to the continued good health of the mother and child. The uterus must maintain the health of the newly conceived embryo by providing nutrition until the placenta can begin to function, usually a period of a week or more.










If there is an adequate level of progesterone, which is produced from fats, there should be enough nutrients for the embryo to survive the first critical week. Without enough progesterone, the embryo could die. The placenta must also form and produce hormones that affect the developing fetus. The estrogens and progesterone are fat dependent and are produced in increasing quantities as the pregnancy continues. Together they promote the growth of the uterus and the storage of nutrients for the fetus. The proper development of the fetus has obvious hormonal relationships, which are dependent upon Fats following. birth, breastfeeding helps protect the baby against allergies, asthma and intestinal problems through its high fat content, particularly cholesterol. The baby is highly dependent upon the fat in the milk for survival,especially during the first few days. During this time, the fatty colostrum from breast milk is of vital nutritional importance.

• Digestion:

Bile from the gall bladder is triggered by fat in the diet, which helps aid in the digestion and absorption of important fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Most of the fats in the diet are digested in the small intestine a process that involves breaking the fat into smaller particles. The pancreas, liver, gall bladder and large intestine are also involved in the digestive process. Any of these organs not working properly could have an adverse impact on fat metabolism in general, but the two most important organs are the liver, which makes bile, and the pancreas, which make the enzyme lipase. Without sufficient fat in the diet, the gall bladder will not secrete enough bile for proper digestion. Fat also helps regulate the rate of stomach emptying. Fats in a meal slow stomach emptying, allowing for better digestion of proteins. If you are always hungry it may be because your meal is too low in fat and your stomach is emptying too rapidly. Fats also slow the absorption of sugar from the small intestines, which keeps insulin from rising too high and too quickly essentially, fat in the meal lowers its glycemic index. 


Bile from the gall bladder is triggered by fat in the diet, which helps aid in the digestion and absorption of important fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Most of the fats in the diet are digested in the small intestine a process that involves breaking the fat into smaller particles. The pancreas, liver, gall bladder and large intestine are also involved in the digestive process. Any of these organs not working properly could have an adverse impact on fat metabolism in general, but the two most important organs are the liver, which makes bile, and the pancreas, which make the enzyme lipase. Without sufficient fat in the diet, the gall bladder














Additionally, fats protect the inner lining of the stomach and intestines from irritating substances in the diet, such as alcohol and spicy foods.

• Support and Protection:

 Stored fat offers physical support and protection to vital body parts, including the organs and glands. Fat acts as a natural, built-in shock absorber, cushioning the body and its various parts from the wear and tear of everyday life, and helps prevent organs from sinking due to the downward pull of gravity. Fats also may protect the body against the harmful effects of X-rays. This occurs through physical protection of the cell, and by controlling free-radical production, generated as a result of X-ray exposure. In addition to medical X-rays, we are constantly exposed to X-rays from the atmosphere. This cosmic radiation penetrates most objects, including airplanes. The average person gets more cosmic radiation exposure during an airline flight from New York to Los Angeles than from a lifetime of medical X-rays.

• Vitamin and Mineral Regulation:

 Most people know that vitamin D is produced by exposure of the skin to the sun. However, it is actually cholesterol in the skin that allows this reaction to occur. Sunlight chemically changes cholesterol in the skin through the process of irradiation to vitamin D-3. This newly formed vitamin D is then absorbed into the blood, allowing calcium and phosphorous to be properly absorbed from the intestinal Tract. Without The vitamin D, calcium and phosphorous would not be well absorbed and deficiencies of both could occur.


The Big Fat Lie: For decades, fat has been seen as the “bad” component of the diet. Low- and no-fat has become synonymous with being healthy. These ideas, of course, are untrue. In fact, fat is one of the most beneficial substances in your diet, and is often the missing ingredient in developing and maintaining optimal health and human performance. But an ongoing, well-financed misinformation campaign against fat has misled the public to an epidemic of fat phobia. Just think of the billions of dollars spent each year on low-fat and fat-free foods and you’ll understand why you might not have been told the whole truth about fat. For decades, fat has been seen as the “bad” component of the diet. Low- and no-fat has become synonymous with being healthy. These ideas, of course, are untrue. In fact, fat is one of the most beneficial substances in your diet, and is often the missing ingredient in developing and maintaining optimal health and human performance. But an ongoing, well-financed misinformation campaign against fat has misled the public to an epidemic of fat phobia. Just think of the billions of dollars spent each year on low-fat and fat-free foods and you’ll understand why you might not have been told the whole truth about fat. In addition, this anti-fat campaign has contributed to actual deficiencies in fat that have contributed to various diseases. The bottom line on dietary fat: Too much or too little is dangerous. It’s simply a question of balancing your intake.












But without cholesterol, the entire process would not occur. Besides vitamin D, other vitamins, including A, E and K, rely on fat for proper absorption and utilization. These important vitamins are present primarily in fatty foods, and the body cannot make an adequate amount of these vitamins to ensure continued good health. In addition these vitamins require fat in the intestines in order to be absorbed. So a low-fat diet could be deficient in these vitamins to begin with and also could further restrict their absorption. Certain fats are important for transporting calcium into the bones and muscles. Without this action, calcium levels in bones and muscles can be reduced resulting in the risk for stress fractures, osteoporosis, muscle cramps and other problems. Unused calcium may be stored, sometimes in the kidneys increasing the risk of stones, or in the muscles, tendons or joint spaces as calcium deposits.

• Taste:

 My favorite function of fat is that it makes food delightfully palatable. Want to make a recipe tastier? Add some healthy fat. Low- and no-fat products are usually quite bland, and often manufacturers add sugar to improve taste. Fat also satisfies your physical hunger by increasing satiety (the signal given to the brain that the meal is satisfying and you can stop eating). With a low-fat meal, the brain just keeps sending the same message over and over: Eat more! Because you never really feel satisfied, the temptation to overeat is irresistible. In fact,there’s a good chance you can actually gain weight on a low-fat diet by overeating to try and get that “I’m not hungry anymore” fat feeling.


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