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Saturated Fat: Friend or Foe?

From: The MetaTyping Nutrition Blog

Greetings -

How many times have you heard that fat will harm you? Or that saturated fats are unhealthy and cause heart problems?

Are you someone who is afraid of eating saturated fats because you believe they are unhealthy? Well, it's possible that you could be correct ... but it's also possible that saturated fats might just be the single best type of fat for your body!

Since we are all unique, our need for fat in our diet depends on what metabolic type we are. We all need different percentages of fat daily to feel our best and to nourish all of the billions of cells that need fat to function optimally.

For many of my clients, I recommend "short-chain" or "medium-chain" fatty acids. Fatty acids are chains of single bonded carbon atoms. Short chain fatty acids have two to six carbon atoms, medium chain fatty acids have eight to twelve, and long-chain fatty acids (polyunsaturated or vegetable oils) have fourteen to twenty-four carbon atoms.

Due to their shorter chain length, short and medium chain fatty acids are freely digested and absorbed into the bloodstream for improved health, energy, and vitality. In addition, these fats generally contain important anti-microbial properties that protect us against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract. They are also said to have "youth-giving" properties as they improve brain and memory functioning, and keep our hormone and reproductive systems healthy and strong.

Of course, not all saturated fats are created equal. The "healthiness" or "unhealthiness" of a saturated fat is directly related to how it's processed.

One of the best examples of a saturated fat that is made unhealthy by processing is coconut oil. Minimally processed, coconut oil can be one of the healthiest fats to use. However, most types of coconut oil are made unhealthy by how the oil is extracted and processed for our use.

Almost all commercial grade coconut oils are refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD). Commercial processing usually starts with drying the copra (the kernel or meat of the coconut) by smoking, sun exposure, kiln drying, or a combination of the three. In addition, chemical solvents may be used to extract the oil from the copra.

However, this unrefined coconut oil is not sanitary so needs additional refining. High heat is used to deodorize it, then it may be filtered through clays to bleach it and remove impurities. Sodium hydroxide may be then be added to remove free fatty acids to prolong shelf life.

After all this processing, this resulting oil is tasteless and odorless, making it popular for cooking by commercial bakeries and food producers. And to make matters worse, the oil is often then hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated to ensure shelf life and a higher melting point (96 degrees F. / 35 degrees C). As a result, it becomes a health-risk to many people, increasing your cholesterol and resulting in health problems.

As opposed to this over processed oil, minimally processed coconut oil (virgin coconut oil) can be a healthy source of fat for many metabolic types. A minimally processed coconut oil is made from fresh "wet" (not dried) coconut meat, and no chemicals or high heat are used. Different methods can be used to extract the oil such as wet-milling in which the oil is extracted from fresh coconut meat without drying first, or by a traditional fermentation method.

This minimally processed coconut oil liquefies at just 76 degrees F / 25 degree C. Unlike the tasteless, odorless commercial coconut oil, this oil has a wonderful coconut scent and taste.

Virgin coconut oil contains lauric acid (also found in breast milk) believed to have antimicrobial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. As you may know, many strains of bacteria is resistant to antibiotics. Lauric acid has been shown to destroy several bacteria and viruses. There is evidence that coconut oil also kills yeast infections such as Candida.

Medium-chain fatty acids or triglycerides (MCTs) burn up quickly in the body and coconut oil is one of the richest sources of MCTs. As such, they raise the body's metabolism leading to weight loss when needed. And in addition, it promotes and helps in maintaining the healthy function of the thyroid. Everyone looks for more energy and this healthy oil boosts the energy levels of most people. Many people have found that it lowers cholesterol and helps improve chronic fatigue and digestion disorders. This is only a fraction of the health benefits attributed to virgin coconut oil.

I am a big proponent of Tropical Traditions organic virgin coconut oil as well as their coconut concentrate and coconut flour. I also have benefited greatly from using their delicious and healthy coconut products.

So, is saturated fat a friend or foe? There are no simple answers. Everyone is unique and as you now know, there's more to answering that question than a simple "yes" or "no". Following your metabolic typing guidelines will help you to discover what is right for the unique person that you are, and you might just find that properly-processed saturated fat can be part of your healthy diet.

Wishing you the best in health and longevity,

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