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Fat supplies energy and transports nutrients. Adults don't really have to worry about eating too little; they only need about 5% fat in their diets. However, children need about 30% fat in their diets. And we all need to eat the right kind of fat.
With so much talk of fats, and all the different types that exist, it is no wonder that people are confused about which fats are good and which fats are bad. Many people assume "if it is fat, it's bad." This is not so - there are good fats, as well as bad fats.
The fats which are called omega-6 and omega-3 fats are essential fats (fatty acids), because we only get them through the foods we eat. The fats which are called saturated are the bad fats. We get saturated fats from all the meat and dairy in our daily diet. Essential fatty acids are required by the body to function normally. They can be obtained from canola oil, flaxseed oil, cold-water fish, or fish oil, all of which contain omega-3 fatty acids, and primrose or black currant seed oil, which contains omega-6 fatty acids.
The worst saturated fat is called a trans fatty acid. These are chemically altered (processed) fats. They are found in most packaged foods listed on the label as 'partially hydrogenated' or 'hydrogenated oil'. Our bodies have a more difficult time with processed foods and would prefer foods in their natural state.
The American diet is intentionally laden with saturated fats and hardened hydrogenated fats, leaving about 80% of the population deficient in the essential fats required for the maintenance of the human nervous system, the production of hormones and the control of inflammation.
Causes & Development
Fats are metabolized into what are called prostaglandins, of which there three main types: PG1, PG2, and PG3. Simply put, saturated fats convert into PG2, which has an inflammatory effect on the body. Omega-6 and omega-3 fats convert into PG1 and PG3 respectfully and produce an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.
More and more research is showing that Americans (and all societies converting to the Standard American Diet) eat too much saturated and trans fats and not enough of the essential omega-3 fats. These nutritional errors have been linked to high cholesterol, breast and prostate cancer, diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, PMS, and headaches to name but a few. Such a diet can also be "thrombogenic," i.e. the fat will tend to form lipid particles in your blood after meals, which could lead to blood clots, meaning heart attack or stroke.
Treatment & Prevention
The American diet often contains excess of omega-6 fatty acids and insufficient amount of omega-3 fats. Increased consumption of omega-3 oils are recommended to help reduce risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer and alleviate symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, premenstrual syndrome, dermatitis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
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Conditions that suggest Effects of a High Fat Diet: | | | | | Tumors, Malignant |  Breast Cancer | There has been much recent research on the relationship between cancer and dietary fat - possibly more than on any other component of the diet. A connection between high fat consumption and breast and colon cancer (two of the most deadly forms of the disease) has appeared in many studies. |
Colon Cancer| | A connection between high fat consumption and breast and colon cancer (two of the most deadly forms of the disease) has appeared in many studies. |
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Recommendations and treatments for Effects of a High Fat Diet:
KEY | | Weak or unproven link |  | | Likely to help |
GLOSSARY
Anti-inflammatory (Antiinflammatory)
Reducing inflammation by acting on body mechanisms, without directly acting on the cause of inflammation, e.g., glucocorticoids, aspirin.
Arthritis (Arthritic)
Inflammation of a joint, usually accompanied by pain, swelling, and stiffness, and resulting from infection, trauma, degenerative changes, metabolic disturbances, or other causes. It occurs in various forms, such as bacterial arthritis, osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis, the most common form, is characterized by a gradual loss of cartilage and often an overgrowth of bone at the joints.
Cancer
Refers to the various types of malignant neoplasms that contain cells growing out of control and invading adjacent tissues, which may metastasize to distant tissues.
Cardiovascular
Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels.
Cholesterol
A waxy, fat-like substance manufactured in the liver and found in all tissues, it facilitates the transport and absorption of fatty acids. In foods, only animal products contain cholesterol. An excess of cholesterol in the bloodstream can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.
Colon (Colonic)
The part of the large intestine that extends to the rectum. The colon takes the contents of the small intestine, moving them to the rectum by contracting.
Dermatitis
A general term used to refer to eruptions or rashes on the skin.
Diabetes Mellitus (Diabetes, Diabetic, Diabetics)
A disease with increased blood glucose levels due to lack or ineffectiveness of insulin. Diabetes is found in two forms; insulin-dependent diabetes (juvenile-onset) and non-insulin-dependent (adult-onset). Symptoms include increased thirst; increased urination; weight loss in spite of increased appetite; fatigue; nausea; vomiting; frequent infections including bladder, vaginal, and skin; blurred vision; impotence in men; bad breath; cessation of menses; diminished skin fullness. Other symptoms include bleeding gums; ear noise/buzzing; diarrhea; depression; confusion.
Essential Fatty Acid (EFA, EFAs, Essential Fatty Acids)
A substance that the human body cannot manufacture and therefore must be supplied in the diet.
Fatty Acids (Fatty Acid)
Chemical chains of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms that are part of a fat (lipid) and are the major component of triglycerides. Depending on the number and arrangement of these atoms, fatty acids are classified as either saturated, polyunsaturated, or monounsaturated. They are nutritional substances found in nature which include cholesterol, prostaglandins, and stearic, palmitic, linoleic, linolenic, eicosapentanoic (EPA), and decohexanoic acids. Important nutritional lipids include lecithin, choline, gamma-linoleic acid, and inositol.
Hormones (Hormone)
Chemical substances secreted by a variety of body organs that are carried by the bloodstream and usually influence cells some distance from the source of production. Hormones signal certain enzymes to perform their functions and, in this way, regulate such body functions as blood sugar levels, insulin levels, the menstrual cycle, and growth. These can be prescription, over-the-counter, synthetic or natural agents. Examples include adrenal hormones such as corticosteroids and aldosterone; glucagon, growth hormone, insulin, testosterone, estrogens, progestins, progesterone, DHEA, melatonin, and thyroid hormones such as thyroxine and calcitonin.
Hydrogenated Fat (Hydrogenated Fats, Hydrogenated Oil, Hydrogenated Oils)
Usually containing trans-fatty acids (or simply "trans" fats), hydrogenated fats show up mostly in margarine, shortening and many prepared and processed foods such as cookies, crackers, cakes, potato chips and other deep-fried foods. The best way to spot hydrogenated fats is to read the ingredient lists on foods and identify those listing hydrogenated or "partially" hydrogenated fats.
Lipid (Lipids)
Fat-soluble substances derived from animal or vegetable cells by nonpolar solvents (e.g. ether); the term can include the following types of materials: fatty acids, glycerides, phospholipids, alcohols and waxes.
Nervous System
A system in the body that is comprised of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, ganglia and parts of the receptor organs that receive and interpret stimuli and transmit impulses to effector organs.
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
PMS consists of various physical and/or emotional symptoms that occur in the second half of the menstrual cycle, after ovulation. The symptoms begin about midcycle, are generally the most intense during the last seven days before menstruation and include: acne; backache; bloating; fatigue; headache; sore breasts; changes in sexual desire; depression; difficulty concentrating; difficulty handling stress; irritability; tearfulness.
Prostaglandin (Prostaglandins)
Any of a class of physiologically active substances present in many tissues, with effects such as vasodilation, vasoconstriction, stimulation of the smooth muscles of the bronchus or intestine, uterine stimulation; also involved in pain, inflammation, fever, allergic diarrhea, and dysmenorrhea. A potent hormone -- similar in structure to an unsaturated fatty acid -- that acts in extremely low concentrations on local target organs; first isolated from the prostate.
Prostate
The prostate gland in men that surrounds the neck of the bladder and the urethra and produces a secretion that liquefies coagulated semen.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
A long-term, destructive connective tissue disease that results from the body rejecting its own tissue cells (autoimmune reaction).
Saturated Fat (Saturated Fats)
A type of fat that is readily converted to LDL cholesterol and is thought to encourage production of arterial disease. Saturated fats tend to be hard at room temperature. Among saturated fats are animal fats, dairy products, and such vegetable oils as coconut and palm oils.
Stroke (Stroke-Type Event)
A sudden loss of brain function caused by a blockage or rupture of a blood vessel that supplies the brain, characterized by loss of muscular control, complete or partial loss of sensation or consciousness, dizziness, slurred speech, or other symptoms that vary with the extent and severity of the damage to the brain. The most common manifestation is some degree of paralysis, but small strokes may occur without symptoms. Usually caused by arteriosclerosis, it often results in brain damage.
Last updated: Oct 08, 2008
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