This is the third in a four-part piece exploring the problem with “low-fat” and “non-fat” products.

AS part of the series exploring the problem with “low-fat” And “non-fat” products, last week we started looking at how you can correct your diet if you are currently paranoid about eating fat.

We looked at healthy bile release, gallbladder health and fat-soluble vitamins that are found in fat. We continue this week.

1. Cholesterol balance requires plenty of good fats

The role of cholesterol in our body is misunderstood. As evidenced by the eating habits of traditional cultures worldwide, good health relies on an adequate intake of cholesterol from animal fats.

True science tells us that cholesterol does not cause atherosclerosis. As a healing agent in the body, levels of cholesterol rise during periods of stress or when inflammation is present. Providing cholesterol through good quality fats, such as pastured egg yolks and grass-fed butter, allows the body to use cholesterol to help address the inflammation.

As a matter of fact, low blood cholesterol levels are associated with (but not proven to cause): a higher risk of mortality; a higher risk of depression; a higher risk of committing violent crimes and suicide; and a higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

One area of confusion is the labelling of LDL as “bad cholesterol” and HDL as “good cholesterol”. We know that high levels of HDL cholesterol is beneficial and we know there are subtypes of LDL cholesterol. The large, fluffy LDL particles are benign, but the small, dense LDL is correlated to heart disease. Sources of saturated fats (like butter, animal fats and coconut oil) change the dense LDL to fluffy LDL and raise HDL cholesterol – both health protective factors. Processed grains (like cereal) and vegetable oils, however, turn the fluffy LDL into the dense LDL, increasing the risk of heart disease.

2. Blood sugar balance requires fat

When we eat a source of carbohydrate, it should be accompanied by a quality source of fat. Fat slows down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream and prevents sugar highs and sugar crashes. This keeps us full longer so we can reach or maintain a healthy weight. When food producers and healthy cookbook authors jumped on the low-fat bandwagon, they realised that reducing the fat in food eliminated moisture and flavour. As previously mentioned, they compensated by increasing the sugar content. Increased sugar and decreased fat means bad news for blood sugar regulation. No wonder we are seeing skyrocketing numbers of diabetes.

3. Protein utilisation requires fat

Adequate fat is necessary for the proper digestion and utilisation of proteins. Frequent consumption of protein without fat depletes fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamin A. According to nutrition experts, protein cannot be adequately utilised without dietary fats. That is why protein and fats occur together in eggs, milk, fish, and meats. A high protein, low-fat diet can cause many problems, including too rapid growth and depletion of vitamin A and D reserves. If we examine the eating habits of our parents and grandparents, then we see that lean protein is a thoroughly modern invention. Great-grandma would never serve egg white omelets. After all, the vitamins and fatty acids in the yolk are required to utilise the protein in the whites.

4. Hormone balance requires fat

We must consume sources of cholesterol-rich saturated fats to provide the building blocks for sex hormones, including testosterone, estrogen and progesterone. Without enough dietary cholesterol, women often become very deficient in progesterone. For men, a low fat diet means low testosterone. Low fat diets also undermine balanced hormones by preventing the detox of excess hormones, particularly estrogen. When there is excess estrogen in the body, it is packaged into the bile so it can be excreted with food waste. If bile is not being released, then old estrogen sits in the liver and gallbladder and can be recirculated in the body. Modern lifestyles lead to estrogen dominance for many men and women, since stress and poor diet increases estrogen synthesis and reduces detox of old hormones. For women, estrogen dominance means PMS and menopausal symptoms. For men, this often manifests as erectile dysfunction or “man boobs”.

5. Detox requires fat

The liver acts like a toxin filter for our entire body. After collecting toxins, it packages them in bile. If things work correctly, the gallbladder releases bile when we digest our food and the toxins in the bile leave the body with the faeces. If we aren’t consuming adequate fat to signal bile release, however, then the toxins build up in both the liver and gallbladder. The toxic load increases over time and the body can reabsorb these stagnant toxins. You may not see a knob of butter as a detox-promoting food, but it actually is. By stimulating bile release, good sources of saturated fats like whole butter encourage detox, balanced hormones and weight loss. Low fat is bad news and butter, egg yolks and other fats are good for you.

6. Weight loss and weight management require fat

What happens when you reach for a few rice cakes or a low-fat protein bar as an afternoon snack? You feel ravenous and desperately crave sugar in under an hour. When we take a calorie-for-calorie approach, 200 calories of coconut oil is going to keep you full for at least two to three hours, while those 200 calories of whole-grain cereal and skim milk will leave you starving an hour later. Fat signals satiation because it digests slowly, providing long-burning energy. Also important, it makes food taste delicious so that we end a meal with thoroughly satisfied taste buds. Additionally, it supports detox – a key part of losing stubborn weight. If you want to lose weight, adequate fat must be part of the picture. Not only will it leave you feeling full, it supports detox and liver health – two necessities for weight management.

7. Fat makes food taste good

Fat makes food enjoyable. If you browse cookbooks from the 1800’s, you’ll find that every vegetable recipe contains copious amounts of butter, lard, egg yolks, pork, and/or cream. Plain steamed vegetables would be a completely foreign concept to home cooks of that era. Homemakers understood that plenty of whole food fats created delicious meals and, as a result, each family member eagerly finished off a serving of spinach… because it was swimming in fresh cream and dollops of butter. Nourishing sources of fats makes healthy food taste delicious. It isn’t a shame that butter and egg yolks taste so good – it is nature’s way of telling us that these foods are good for us.

How much fat is enough? As a general rule of thumb, we should eat no less than 40 per cent of our calories as fat. Many individuals thrive on a 50 per cent fat diet and some people feel best on as much as 60 per cent of calories as fat. For a 2,000 calorie diet, obtaining 40 per cent of calories from fat means eating about 90 grams of fat. Over the course of the day, if we are eating real foods prepared from scratch, an example looks roughly like:

2 tbs butter

1 Tbs coconut oil (coconut oil is extremely healthful, but it will not stimulate bile production. Consume it in addition to animal fats)

2 whole eggs

1/2 avocado

1 serving fatty steak (grass-fed, of course)

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup full-fat ice cream

As you can see, the fats in this example are primarily saturated fats from the coconut oil, dairy, eggs, and meat. The avocado provides healthy monounsaturated fats. Vegetable oils should be completely avoided, because the high ratio of polyunsaturated fats is unnatural and inflammatory. Nuts and seeds (with the exception of coconut) should be consumed only in small amounts to prevent an imbalance of omega-6 to omega-3.

Don’t forget to “Ask Your Chiropractor” every week, where your questions may be published and answered in subsequent articles. Address questions to: Dr Chris Davis, the Spinal Mechanic at movethebone@gmail.com; or, Dr Michael Harvey, director, at dr.michael_harvey@yahoo.com or visit www.drharveychiropractic.com