Saturated Fats: NOT The Enemy

lydaugherty

I worked with the FDA, although I don't want to hop on an "anti-government" bandwagon, I am appalled and no longer trust anything from the FDA or AHA. And I wish I cared enough to tell you things I've learned. It would require too much typing and trying to find studies posted online to link.

Oh well. Hehe.

To each their own. You eat canola oil, I eat coconut oil. We're both happy, right?

LuckyLeprechaun

webmd:

Risk Factors for Heart Disease
Some risk factors for heart disease you can control and some you cannot. Coronary artery disease causes roughly 1.2 million heart attacks each year, and more than forty percent of those suffering from a heart attack will die. Even more worrisome, 335,000 people with heart attacks will die in an emergency department or before ever reaching the hospital. According to the American Heart Association, over 7 million Americans have suffered a heart attack in their lifetime.

What Are the Risk Factors for Heart Disease?
There are several risk factors for heart disease; some are controllable, others are not. Uncontrollable risk factors include:

Male sex
Older age
Family history of heart disease
Post-menopausal
Race (African Americans, American Indians, and Mexican Americans are more likely to have heart disease than Caucasians)
Still, there are many heart disease risk factors that can be controlled. By making changes in your lifestyle, you can actually reduce your risk for heart disease. Controllable risk factors include:

Smoking.
High LDL, or "bad" cholesterol and low HDL, or "good" cholesterol.
Uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure).
Physical inactivity.
Obesity (more than 20% over one's ideal body weight).
Uncontrolled diabetes.
High C-reactive protein.
Uncontrolled stress and anger.
What Can I Do to Lower My Risk of Heart Disease?
Making changes in your lifestyle is a proven method for reducing your risk of heart disease. While there are no guarantees that a heart-healthy lifestyle will keep heart disease away, these changes will certainly improve your health in other ways, such as improving your physical and emotional well being. Also, because some risk factors are related to others, making changes in one area can benefit other areas.

Here are some ways you can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Quit smoking. Smokers have more than twice the risk for heart attack as nonsmokers. Smoking is also the most preventable risk factor. If you smoke, quit. Better yet, never start smoking at all. Nonsmokers who are exposed to constant smoke also have an increased risk.
Improve cholesterol levels. The risk for heart disease increases as your total amount of cholesterol increases. Your total cholesterol goal should be less than 200 mg/dl; HDL, the good cholesterol, higher than 40 mg/dl in men and 50 mg/dl in women (and the higher the better); and LDL should be less than 130 mg/dl in healthy adults. For those with diabetes or multiple risk factors for heart disease, LDL goal should be less than 100 mg/dl (some experts recommend less than 70 mg/dl if you are very high risk). Interpretation and treatment of cholesterol values must be individualized, taking into account all of your risk factors for heart disease. A diet low in cholesterol and saturated and trans fat will help lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk for heart disease. Regular exercise will also help lower "bad" cholesterol and raise "good" cholesterol. Medications are often needed to reach cholesterol goals.
Control high blood pressure. About 60 million people in the U.S. have hypertension, or high blood pressure, making it the most common heart disease risk factor. Nearly one in three adults has systolic blood pressure (the upper number) over 140, and/or diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) over 90, which is the definition of hypertension. Like cholesterol, blood pressure interpretation and treatment should be individualized, taking into account your entire risk profile. Control blood pressure through diet, exercise, weight management, and if needed, medications.
Control diabetes. If not properly controlled, diabetes can lead to significant heart damage including heart attacks and death. Control diabetes through a healthy diet, exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and taking medications as prescribed by your doctor.
Get active. Many of us lead sedentary lives, exercising infrequently or not at all. People who don't exercise have higher rates of death and heart disease compared to people who perform even mild to moderate amounts of physical activity. Even leisure-time activities like gardening or walking can lower your risk of heart disease. Most people should exercise 30 minutes a day, at moderate intensity, on most days. More vigorous activities are associated with more benefits. Exercise should be aerobic, involving the large muscle groups. Aerobic activities include brisk walking, cycling, swimming, jumping rope, and jogging. If walking is your exercise of choice, use the pedometer goal of 10,000 steps a day. Consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.



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Eat right . Eat a heart-healthy diet low in salt, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and refined sugars. Try to increase your intake of foods rich in vitamins and other nutrients, especially antioxidants, which have been proven to lower your risk for heart disease. Also eat plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.
Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight puts significant strain on your heart and worsens several other heart disease risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and triglycerides. Research is showing that obesity itself increases heart disease risk. By eating right and exercising, you can lose weight and reduce your risk of heart disease.
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Manage stress. Poorly controlled stress and anger can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Use stress and anger management techniques to lower your risk. Learn to manage stress by practicing relaxation techniques, learning how to manage your time, setting realistic goals, and trying some new techniques such as guided imagery, massage, Tai Chi, or yoga.

lydaugherty

What are you doing, Lucky? lol

LuckyLeprechaun

I worked with the FDA, although I don't want to hop on an "anti-government" bandwagon, I am appalled and no longer trust anything from the FDA or AHA. And I wish I cared enough to tell you things I've learned. It would require too much typing and trying to find studies posted online to link.

Oh well. Hehe.

To each their own. You eat canola oil, I eat coconut oil. We're both happy, right?

I don't eat canola oil. When I use oil, I use EVOO. This was just one of the articles that refutes the claims made in the original post. I don't want any newbies to be steered into an unhealthy direction, so I feel it is important to cite numerous articles that explain that saturated fats are best kept in moderation, and not as the main ingredient or foundation of a diet.

LuckyLeprechaun

What are you doing, Lucky? lol

just the facts ma'am.

LuckyLeprechaun

seekwellness.com:

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. Your body needs cholesterol, which it uses to make many hormones and vitamin D. Cholesterol is also involved in producing bile acids, which help the body process the fats you eat. Your body produces enough cholesterol to meet its needs.



How High Blood Cholesterol Leads to Heart Disease

When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, the excess can become trapped in the walls of your arteries. By building up there, the cholesterol helps to cause hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis causes most heart attacks. How? The cholesterol buildup narrows the arteries that supply blood to the heart, slowing or even blocking the flow of blood to the heart. So, the heart gets less oxygen than it needs. This weakens the heart muscle, and chest pain (angina) may occur. If a blood clot forms in the narrowed artery, a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or even death can result.

Cholesterol buildup happens very slowly - you are not even aware of it. If you lower your high blood cholesterol level, you can slow, stop, or even reverse the buildup - and lower your risk of illness or death from heart disease.

"Good" and "Bad" Cholesterol: The Lipoproteins

Cholesterol travels in the blood in packages called lipoproteins. Just like oil and water, cholesterol and blood do not mix. So, in order to be able to travel in the bloodstream, the cholesterol made in the liver is also coated with a layer of protein making a lipoprotein. This lipoprotein then carries the cholesterol through the bloodstream.

Two types of lipoprotein affect your risk of heart disease.

Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs): the bad cholesterol. LDLs carry most of the cholesterol in the blood, and the cholesterol and fat from LDLs are the main source of dangerous buildup and blockage in the arteries. Thus, the more LDL-cholesterol you have in your blood, the greater your risk of heart disease.

High-density lipoproteins (HDLs): the good cholesterol. HDLs carry some of the cholesterol in the blood, but this cholesterol goes back to the liver, which leads to its removal from the body. So HDLs help keep cholesterol from building up in the walls of the arteries. If your level of good cholesterol is low, your risk of heart disease is greater.

What Makes Blood Cholesterol High or Low

Why do some people have too much cholesterol in their blood? Many factors help determine whether your blood cholesterol level is high or low. The following factors are the most important:

Heredity. Your genes partly determine the amount of cholesterol your body makes, and high blood cholesterol can run in families.

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Diet. Two nutrients in the foods you eat make your blood cholesterol level go up: saturated fat, a type of fat found mostly in foods that come from animals; and cholesterol, which comes only from animal products. Saturated fat raises your cholesterol level more than anything else in the diet. Reducing the amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol you at is an important step in reducing your blood cholesterol levels.
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Weight. Excess weight tens to increase your blood cholesterol level. If you are overweight and have a high blood cholesterol, losing weight may help you lower it.



Physical activity/exercise. Regular physical activity may help to lower LDL-cholesterol and raise HDL-cholesterol levels.

Age and sex. Before menopause, women have total cholesterol levels that are lower than those of men the same age. Pregnancy raises blood cholesterol levels in many women, but blood cholesterol levels should return to normal about 20 weeks after delivery. As women and men get older, their blood cholesterol levels rise. In women, menopause often causes an increase in their LDL-cholesterol level. Some women may benefit from taking estrogen after menopause, because estrogen lowers LDLs and raises HDLs.

Alcohol. Alcohol intake increases HDL-cholesterol. However, doctors dont know whether it also reduces the risk of heart disease. Drinking too much alcohol can certainly damage and liver and heart muscle and cause other health problems. Because of these risks, you should not drink alcoholic beverages to prevent heart disease.

Stress. Stress over the long term has not been shown to raise blood cholesterol levels. The real problem with stress may be how it affects your habits. For example, when some people are under stress, they console themselves by eating fatty foods. The saturated fat and cholesterol in these foods probably cause higher blood cholesterol, not the stress itself.

LuckyLeprechaun

goveg.com:
Leading health experts agree that going vegetarian is the single-best thing we can do for ourselves and our families. Healthy vegetarian diets support a lifetime of good health and provide protection against numerous diseases, including our country’s three biggest killers: heart disease, cancer, and strokes. The American Dietetic Association states that vegetarians have “lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; … lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer” and that vegetarians are less likely than meat-eaters to be obese.1 Well-planned vegetarian diets provide us with all the nutrients that we need, minus all the saturated fat, cholesterol, and contaminants found in animal flesh, eggs, and dairy products.

Research has shown that vegetarians are 50 percent less likely to develop heart disease, and they have 40 percent of the cancer rate of meat-eaters.3,4 Plus, meat-eaters are nine times more likely to be obese than vegans are.5

The consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products has also been strongly linked to osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, asthma, and male impotence. Scientists have also found that vegetarians have stronger immune systems than their meat-eating friends; this means that they are less susceptible to everyday illnesses like the flu.7 Vegetarians and vegans live, on average, six to 10 years longer than meat-eaters.8

A plant-based diet is the best diet for kids, too: Studies have shown that vegetarian kids grow taller and have higher IQs than their classmates, and they are at a reduced risk for heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other diseases in the long run.10,11 Studies have shown that even older people who switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet can prevent and even reverse many chronic ailments.

Read our top nutrition tips for maximizing the health benefits of a vegetarian diet. It's never too late to turn over a new leaf—you can take control of your health today by going vegetarian. Request a free vegetarian starter kit today!

1 Ann Mangels, Virginia Messina, and Vesanto Melina, "Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian Diets," Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Jun. 2003, pp. 748-65.
2 Neal Barnard, M.D., The Power of Your Plate, Book Publishing Co.: Summertown, Tenn., 1990, p. 26.
3 Elizabeth Somer, "Eating Meat: A Little Doesn't Hurt," WebMD, 1999.
4 Neal Barnard, M.D., The Power of Your Plate, Book Publishing Co.: Summertown, Tenn., 1990, p. 26.
5 John Robbins, The Food Revolution, Conari Press: Boston, 2001, p. 58.
6 Neal Barnard, M.D., "Doctor in the House," PETA's Animal Times, Fall 2004, p. 7.
7 Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine with Amy Lanou, Healthy Eating for Life for Children, New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2002, p. 49.
8 Robbins, p. 14.
9 Benjamin Spock, M.D., Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care: Seventh Edition, New York: Pocket Books, 1998, p. 333.
10 Charles Attwood, M.D., Dr. Attwood's Low-Fat Prescription for Kids, New York: Penguin Books, 1995, p. 84.
11 Robbins, p. 85.

rybo

The fact that both sides can post "studies" backing the message they want to convey shows exactly how meaningful studies truly are.

That said, I do find the OP articles very informative and a break form hearing the same old same old every day. I don't view it as pushy, just a matter of bringing to attention "the rest of the story".

Granted my next statement isn't "science" but watching a bizarre foods episode on Mongolia showed thier diet consisted almost entierly of meat and animal fats, yet not a single overweight person seen in the show (or even in the back ground)

lydaugherty

I worked with the FDA, although I don't want to hop on an "anti-government" bandwagon, I am appalled and no longer trust anything from the FDA or AHA. And I wish I cared enough to tell you things I've learned. It would require too much typing and trying to find studies posted online to link.

Oh well. Hehe.

To each their own. You eat canola oil, I eat coconut oil. We're both happy, right?

I don't eat canola oil. When I use oil, I use EVOO. This was just one of the articles that refutes the claims made in the original post. I don't want any newbies to be steered into an unhealthy direction, so I feel it is important to cite numerous articles that explain that saturated fats are best kept in moderation, and not as the main ingredient or foundation of a diet.

I understand. And I agree completely that saturated fat, or any fat, should NOT be the main ingredient (my god!), neither should anything else. Everything, of course like you said, in moderation.

I disagree with many things, though, claiming animal fat as pure saturated fat is absolutely misleading. There is nothing I can do to change a million people's views, or change websites opinions and all that, though.

Many animal fats are 50% UNsaturated. (If a fat was completely saturated, it would be hard.)

And like I said before, it is the long-chain saturated fat that should be avoided. Short and medium chain saturated fats are absolute NOT stored as fat (Unless of course if you eat tons of it) Many people don't know the difference between short, medium and long chained saturated fats.. and I think that's what needs to be taught.. Not to stay away completely from saturated fats.

Coconut oil, as listed on many "healthy peoples" websites, is listed as bad. Why? It's short and medium, and nothing but good for you (Of course, don't eat the whole jar or that would be insanely silly)

LuckyLeprechaun

the thing is, I have heard advice given that claims fatty steaks, bacon, butter and a majority of high fat, high protein foods should be eaten as the foundation of a diet, while whole grains and carbohydrates/cereals should be avoided. This type of medically unsound advice is what troubles me the most. Each person is free to do as they wish for themselves, but our site has a lot of folks who are new at regulating their food to reduce weight and increase health, and I do not want to see them receive unhealthy advice.

mworld

the other thing missing from your articles on the 'french paradox' is portion control and total calories eaten in a day.

Yes, I posted the link to the article because I have been told my articles are too long to read in the forums, so I took an "excerpt" and I posted the link so people can read it in its entirety if they so desire............

The French eat way more saturated fats than we do and are far more healthier than us Americans..............actually, most of Europe is way healthier than us Americans and eat way more saturated fats.

Actually No. You posted the entire link..the article doesn't dig any deeper on the issue but just makes this type of blanket statement, which to me reflects an unscientific approach to the whole 'paradox':

"The French people have a much lower intake of carbohydrates and a higher intake of saturated fats, which are the true reasons for their superior health. "

lydaugherty

the thing is, I have heard advice given that claims fatty steaks, bacon, butter and a majority of high fat, high protein foods should be eaten as the foundation of a diet, while whole grains and carbohydrates/cereals should be avoided. This type of medically unsound advice is what troubles me the most. Each person is free to do as they wish for themselves, but our site has a lot of folks who are new at regulating their food to reduce weight and increase health, and I do not want to see them receive unhealthy advice.

I see. It is hard to truly education anybody on the right way to eat, because frankly, there isn't one. Our government, UK's government, Independent researchers... Everybody has a different answer. It changes all the time.

For example,
CSPI forced the government to use Trans fats, and had all this proof on why they were better, to eventually change their minds.
And the food pyramid recently changed.

I personally don't believe there is just "one right way" of eating, as everyone says - include the right fats, and have a balanced portion of everything. Having a 90% meats/fats diet is no good, having a 90% carb diet is no good.

I just had to jump in here, because the blunt claim of all saturated fats being bad and clogging arteries is just preposterous if you are eating real saturated fats (short, and medium fatty acids)

arewethereyet

I have a visual of two people fencing :laugh:

BTW...........I read nothing and learned nothing. Too turned off to read anyones posting here. :yawn:

arewethereyet

I have a visual of two people fencing :laugh:

BTW...........I read nothing and learned nothing. Too turned off to read anyones posting here. :yawn:

My French Gramere died at 60 yrs old of obesity related illness, Gpa died at 50 of a heart attack
My German family (whole grain bread eaters, all) lived to 90 and healthy as a horse.
My Irish Mother died at 54......her sibs lived to 84, 88 and Uncle Jim is still kicking at 89
My Irish Gma and Gpa both died at 73, but 20 years apart (lucky Gpa!! young chicky)

So my point is..............hell, I don't know at this point. I just felt like posting that!! :laugh:

saverys_gal

Ok people...do we really need to put folks in time out in separate corners?! Really now! The OP is simply giving us links to studies and articles she finds useful and that others may as well. This is no different from many other threads already out on MFP. There's no need for anyone to start lashing out and getting nasty!! If you don't agree that's fine and well - you can debate nicely! We are all entitled to our own opinions. :flowerforyou:

July24Lioness

I worked with the FDA, although I don't want to hop on an "anti-government" bandwagon, I am appalled and no longer trust anything from the FDA or AHA. And I wish I cared enough to tell you things I've learned. It would require too much typing and trying to find studies posted online to link.

Oh well. Hehe.

To each their own. You eat canola oil, I eat coconut oil. We're both happy, right?

That is true.......................However, You and I eating the coconut oil will be far healthier in the future than those eating the rancid vegetable oils.

arewethereyet

I worked with the FDA, although I don't want to hop on an "anti-government" bandwagon, I am appalled and no longer trust anything from the FDA or AHA. And I wish I cared enough to tell you things I've learned. It would require too much typing and trying to find studies posted online to link.

Oh well. Hehe.

To each their own. You eat canola oil, I eat coconut oil. We're both happy, right?

That is true.......................However, You and I eating the coconut oil will be far healthier in the future than those eating the rancid vegetable oils.

Cora, where do you purchase coconut oil? Or I mean me, where would I look (other than ont he tree in my front yard!

July24Lioness

the thing is, I have heard advice given that claims fatty steaks, bacon, butter and a majority of high fat, high protein foods should be eaten as the foundation of a diet, while whole grains and carbohydrates/cereals should be avoided. This type of medically unsound advice is what troubles me the most. Each person is free to do as they wish for themselves, but our site has a lot of folks who are new at regulating their food to reduce weight and increase health, and I do not want to see them receive unhealthy advice.

That is not unsound advice. There are plenty of natural, organic and other sites that back up this way of eating. I don't post anything that is not a proven fact and has the studies to back it up.

It is funny that the tides are changing in the nutrition side of the world.................yes, changing they are.

There is NO human need for grain in our eating and they should be avoided.

I am just glad that I see the light.

My eating plan is 55% fat / 35% protein / 10% carbs (all of my carbs come from fruits and veggies). I am far healthier eating this way than my previous way of 15% fat / 25% protein / 60% carbs. <<<<Will never go back to eating this way again. I was forced to this past winter, gained weight and felt bad everyday of my life.

SHBoss1673

I worked with the FDA, although I don't want to hop on an "anti-government" bandwagon, I am appalled and no longer trust anything from the FDA or AHA. And I wish I cared enough to tell you things I've learned. It would require too much typing and trying to find studies posted online to link.

Oh well. Hehe.

To each their own. You eat canola oil, I eat coconut oil. We're both happy, right?

That is true.......................However, You and I eating the coconut oil will be far healthier in the future than those eating the rancid vegetable oils.

Cora, where do you purchase coconut oil? Or I mean me, where would I look (other than ont he tree in my front yard!

both whole foods and trader joes has coconut oil.

arewethereyet

I worked with the FDA, although I don't want to hop on an "anti-government" bandwagon, I am appalled and no longer trust anything from the FDA or AHA. And I wish I cared enough to tell you things I've learned. It would require too much typing and trying to find studies posted online to link.

Oh well. Hehe.

To each their own. You eat canola oil, I eat coconut oil. We're both happy, right?

That is true.......................However, You and I eating the coconut oil will be far healthier in the future than those eating the rancid vegetable oils.

Cora, where do you purchase coconut oil? Or I mean me, where would I look (other than ont he tree in my front yard!

both whole foods and trader joes has coconut oil.

Oh good.........right down the street. Thanks Banks.

July24Lioness

I worked with the FDA, although I don't want to hop on an "anti-government" bandwagon, I am appalled and no longer trust anything from the FDA or AHA. And I wish I cared enough to tell you things I've learned. It would require too much typing and trying to find studies posted online to link.

Oh well. Hehe.

To each their own. You eat canola oil, I eat coconut oil. We're both happy, right?

That is true.......................However, You and I eating the coconut oil will be far healthier in the future than those eating the rancid vegetable oils.

Cora, where do you purchase coconut oil? Or I mean me, where would I look (other than ont he tree in my front yard!

I get mine either from the Vitamin Shoppe or a natural food store down the road from me. I can get a gallon of Nutiva Coconut oil for cheaper than any where else.

I have gotten it from Trader Joe's also, have never shopped at Whole Foods.

I buy 2 brands of coconut oil. Nutiva or Jungle brand. In the Jungle brand, I also buy Red Palm Oil for cooking meat / veggie stir fries in which I make curries out of.

lydaugherty

Ok people...do we really need to put folks in time out in separate corners?! Really now!

It was a joke

lisawest

I have actually read most of the articles linked and posted in the link. (I admit to skimming some as my time is running short:blushing: ) I find everything mentioned here to be very interesting and informative. With a few posts aside, I have enjoyed reading the information contained here. I admit that my carb intake is probably a lot higher than it should be, but it is less than what it was, so I'm headed in the right direction. As for my fats, I haven't really been tracking them. However, my dad has recently been diagnosed with a genetic blood fat disorder, and his doc has recommended that my sisters and I get several special tests run to see if we have it also. I have my physical set up for the end of next month, and I plan to talk with my new doc about it then.

I appreciate all of the differing information posted here. I believe it's best to find out what all the differing parties in a debate believe, and their reasoning (and proof) behind those beliefs. This thread has done a good job of showing a lot of both of those. Thank you!:flowerforyou:

saverys_gal

Oops. Double post.

saverys_gal

Ok people...do we really need to put folks in time out in separate corners?! Really now!

It was a joke

LMAO. SO was mine.

lydaugherty

Ok people...do we really need to put folks in time out in separate corners?! Really now!

It was a joke

LMAO. SO was mine.

Lol

Mike

I'm going to lock this topic. But before I do, I wanted to point out a few things:

- First, in general, people are entitiled to their opinion, and one of the primary purposes of the message boards is to allow people to present various sides of an issue. This obviously is not just happening on MFP - there is debate on these issues in the scientific community and in the public in general. So posting the original article is not an issue for us and does not violate the forum rules.

- However, there were several posts in this topic that violate the forum rules. There were several personal attacks which absolutely will NOT be tolerated. Everyone who posted in this topic should now consider themselves warned. If you post another personal attack towards another member, your posting privileges will be suspended, or worse, you could be permanently banned from the site. It's perfectly fine to debate a message. It is unacceptable to attack the messenger.

I have removed the posts that I felt were the worst violations.

- We will also consider posting an excessive number of articles as a personal attack. There are more diplomatic ways to make your point than to post countless articles making your claim. For those of you that have done that in this topic, please refrain from doing so in the future.

Again, everyone on this topic should consider themselves warned. If you post your opinion in a respectful manner, you will be allowed to continue to post on the site. If you disagree with a poster, you may do so RESPECTFULLY. If you cannot do that, you will have your posting privileges suspended or banned. We have zero tolerance for personal attacks on the site, and although we GREATLY prefer not to have to suspend members, we will do so if we have to.