Confused on fat types.
rnjenny8599
Posts: 34 Member
I am working on increasing good fats. I've been reading, but very confused on if PUFA are bad or good. Some resources please?
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polyunsaturated aren't all good and they aren't all bad. It really comes down to the source of said oil. I personally avoid any soybean, canola, or corn oil. They are generally loaded with GMOs. I really try to keep it to olive, avocado, and coconut oils for plant based oils I also use butter and bacon grease. All of them need to be watch to use them in the right applications that they are best for. Like you don't want to heat avocado oil it will oxidize it, but it's great in salads and for making mayo. Butter is better for baking. You want to avoid anything processed which all of the (vegetable) nut and seed oils are.2
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The above post is all true. In addition, the main issue in the US is that most people's Omega3 to Omega6 intake is way out of whack. An average person who is not paying attention to the oil issues mentioned above, gets up to 20 times more Omega6 than Omega3 and that's highly inflammatory. Ideally, your 3's would be more abundant than your 6's and come from quality sources.0
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Avocado oil has a high smoke point - it's perfect for high heat cooking.1
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tcunbeliever wrote: »Avocado oil has a high smoke point - it's perfect for high heat cooking.
Yeah I thought so too. I only use coconut oil for high temp cooking if I need it and save the olive oil as a finishing oil if I use it at all.0 -
Like everything else, it depends on the source you're reading. I concur that avocado oil has a high smoke point. Coconut oil not so much.
I usually cook with butter, bacon grease, avocado oil. Ghee is popular and most sources indicate a high smoke point but I've never found one that appeals to me in regards to flavor. Tastes differ.
Regarding Omega 3s and 6s: I concur it is often reported the intake of 3 should outweigh 6 and too much 6 is reportedly inflammatory. I eat fresh local fish + wild caught salmon when affordable, herring and sardines. Nuts and seeds. Flaxseed meal. All reportedly high in omega 3s.
Cronometer is great for tracking foods if one is highly interested in the breakdown of foods in regards to nutrients.0 -
A post from The FAQ section of the LaunchPad.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10107242/the-skinny-on-fat-silencing-your-fear-of-dietary-fats?new=11 -
Here is a fairly in depth read regarding Omega 6 fats:
https://breaknutrition.com/omega-6-fatty-acids-alternative-hypothesis-diseases-civilization/
Here is a good video on fats in general:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUY_SDhxf4k
Here is the short version:
Seed oils (aka vegetable oils) are not natural and will increase chronic inflammation through being very high in omega 6 and are strongly correlated with many diseases including cancer and heart disease. Examples of these are soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, etc.
Omega 3 (also considered a PUFA) are correlated with reduced heart disease as they lower inflammation. There are 3 kinds of omega 3. ALA which can be attained through plant sources like chia and flax, but most people are unable to adequately convert it to the other two omega 3's - EPA and DHA - which are primarily found in animal products. The higher concentrations are in seafood. There are also some of these in GRASS FED ruminants (cows, lamb, etc.).
DHA is required for proper brain function.
The higher your omega 6 intake, the less efficient your body is at converting the ALA to DHA and EPA. Even the best converters only convert up to 9%.
Saturated fat is the most stable fat and least likely to go rancid. This includes fat in your body. PUFA is the least stable and most likely to go rancid and oxidize. When it does, the omega 6 fats break down into compounds which are much more toxic than those coming from omega 3.
Omega 6 is essential. You have to have some, but, given there is at least some omega 6 in nearly all fats/oils, you should avoid all of the ones that are primarily omega 6 (such as the seed oils mentioned above).
Monounsaturated fat has been correlated with many health benefits. It is hard to find anyone who will argue with that statement. It is the least controversial of all the types of fats.
If you have familial hypercholesterolemia, then avoiding saturated fat is a good idea. Otherwise, the research shows it is either neutral or healthy. There are no studies showing it to cause harm. There are some that show it increasing cholesterol compared to PUFA, but those same studies show that the saturated fat group had lower heart disease and lower mortality. I would rather have higher cholesterol but not heart disease and still be alive.4 -
Thank you. excellent answer0
