Healthy Fats, Butter & PUFAs
Let’s talk butter, healthy animal fats & PUFAs
No, animal fats aren’t something to be afraid of 👉🏼 In fact, I intentionally add animal fats in our diets daily!
For decades, research has shown the important role fat plays in babies’ neurological development and brain function. Getting enough each day from nutritious sources is a critical piece of the puzzle for infant brain health. (1999 Milner, John A)
There are 2 different types of fat- saturated & unsaturated
Saturated fats are solids at room temperature and are found in animal fats like lard, tallow & butter, as well as dairy & coconut.
Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and are found in nuts, seeds, fish & other processed plants.
Whether or not a plant contains saturated or unsaturated fatty acids depends on the temperature in which it was grown – a fish in cold water would be stiff if it was made of saturated fatty acids, so the fat content in that fish remains unsaturated of necessity. A pineapple growing near the beaches on a tropical island will contain saturated fats (albeit a very small amount) because in that tropical climate, the plant would oxidize and die if it used unsaturated fats. The temperature in which the plant is grown dictates the fats used.
Similarly, if you consume fish that live in frigid, 35-degree waters of the Arctic, you’re eating a fat that is extremely unsaturated and assimilating it into your body. Since the human body is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit and rich in oxygen, the result will be devastating as the fats oxidize, depleting your antioxidant reserves and causing damage throughout your body.
*Whether or not a fat will cause oxidation in the body is the KEY factor I use to decide which fat to use.*
WHAT IS OXIDATION?
Oxidation is basically the “rusting” of your cells. It’s when something comes in and begins to break down your cell structure. Which is obviously bad because our entire bodies are made up cells.
“The role of fat in modern nutrition is one of the most debated and confusing topics among health professionals and nutrition experts. In some ways, fat has a very negative connotation. Among the general public, dietary fat is associated with body fat, serum cholesterol levels (which are generally thought of as bad), as well as “artery-clogging” plaque, specifically in the coronary arteries (the arteries of the heart). In the 1990s, the low-fat craze hit America; however, we found that as we tried to reduce our total fat consumption, during this time, rates of obesity and heart disease actually increased.“
So if polyunsaturated fats are found in natural foods, why am I saying that they could be so harmful for us? We are now exposed to 10-13 times the amount of PUFAs that we used to be. We used to only consume the occasional nut or seed when meat or fruit was not available. Now we're daily filling our bodies with processed food cooked in huge amounts of industrial seed oils such as soybean oil & canola oil.
Another thing to consider is that the animals we eat no longer consume grass, & whatever else they can forage naturally, but they are fed feed that contains large amounts of corn, soy, & other grains (aka PUFAs) meaning these animals then have polyunsaturated fats in their tissues & fat cells & we consume that meat. For this reason, eating grass fed meat is very important.
Now if PUFAs are so bad for you, why are they sometimes marketed as “healthy fats”? Money, it’s all about money. Animals are easier to raise on PUFAs (corn, soy, etc) canola & soy oil is easy & cheap to produce, & again… money. Fish oil, flax oil, & canola oils are also called rapeseed oil. These oils were seen as waste & used in oil based paint; ya know- the toxic kind! A man named Ancel Keys ran a company who blamed saturated fat for heart disease & a ton of marketing & propaganda was done that blamed tallow, lard, butter for our modern day heart disease epidemic. This ushered in the desire for plant based oils; which were cheap to produce but sadly, very harmful for our bodies.
In order to deal with the negative effects of those PUFAs, our bodies require a higher amount of antioxidants, detoxing, & Vitamin E. Of course along with lowering your PUFA consumption. It's impossible to completely avoid PUFAs, because they are found naturally in many foods but what you can do is be aware & intentional with what you eat. You can avoid as much as possible the use of high PUFA oils like canola, sunflower, safflower, soybean, peanut, flaxseed, vegetable, corn, etc. Also being aware of over consuming foods that are high in PUFAs like nuts, seeds, beans & even grains.
“The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology recommendation limitation of saturated fat. This recommendation is based on studies that show that limitation of saturated fat lowers LDL cholesterol, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, there are no studies directly linking saturated fat to cardiovascular disease, and in fact, recent meta-analyses (combination of studies) have shown that there is no association (Association of dietary, circulating, and supplement fatty acids with coronary risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis). Saturated fat should not be consumed in excess; however, saturated fat in moderation (butter, yogurt, cheese, grass-fed meat, coconut oil, etc) likely has a variety of health benefits, including regulation of the immune system, digestive system, hormonal system, improves bone health, and likely helps protect the metabolism against unsaturated fat.” https://patriotdirectfm.com/2017/12/polyunsaturated-fatty-acids-pufa-why-you-should-avoid-them-and-how-mainstream-nutrition-got-it-wrong/
When someone comes to me for hormone help, one the first things I tell them to do is ditch PUFAs.
So what are PUFA’s? Poly-unsaturated fatty acids. These types of fats are unstable at body temperature, therefore causing oxidation & other body issues.
WHY DITCH PUFAs?
Prone to Oxidation: PUFAs have multiple double bonds in their structure, making them highly susceptible to oxidation when exposed to heat, light, or air.
Increased Risk of Chronic Diseases: Heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer
Suppress thyroid function. “For example, they bind to the “receptor” proteins for cortisol, progesterone, and estrogen, and to all of the major proteins related to thyroid function -Dr. Ray Peat
According to Jessica Ash “Excessive PUFA consumption drives inflammation, insulin resistance, digestive issues and is highly reactive in our hot, oxygen-rich body that gets exposed to sunlight regularly. Ditching crappy fats and being mindful of our fat sources is FOUNDATIONAL to regaining our health. Polyunsaturated fatty acids behave like estrogen in the body. Just like estrogen, PUFAs increase cellular proliferation (a fancy word for growth) by driving the cells to uptake water. Not only are these fats anti-metabolic & thyroid suppressive, but increase stress and estrogen.”
“One of the primary reasons for PUFAs detrimental effects on health is the fact that they are extremely fragile molecules and prone to oxidation. Essentially, eating foods containing unsaturated fats is like downing a free radical cocktail that sets off a chain reaction of oxidation in the blood and also inside cells. The end result is increased amounts of toxic metabolites, like prostaglandins, which perpetuate stress and the release of more PUFA from tissues in a vicious circle.” https://endalldisease.com/damaging-effects-unsaturated-fats/
In order to deal with the negative effects of those PUFAs, our bodies require a higher amount of antioxidants, detoxing, & Vitamin E. Of course along with lowering your PUFA consumption. It's impossible to completely avoid PUFAs, because they are found naturally in many foods but what you can do is be aware & intentional with what you eat. You can avoid as much as possible the use of high PUFA oils like canola, sunflower, safflower, soybean, peanut, flaxseed, vegetable, corn, etc. Also being aware of over consuming foods that are high in PUFAs like nuts, seeds, beans & even grains.
I do still consume fermented cod liver (fish) oil, which is considered a polyunsaturated fat. I take it because it’s a good source of omega 3 & 6, whcih your body needs.
Key Sources of Harmful PUFAs:
Soybean oil
Corn oil
Canola oil
Sunflower oil
Cottonseed oil
Margarine and shortening
What fats do I use instead?
Grass-fed butter
Coconut oil
Tallow
Lard
Why do you need good (saturated) fat?
cholesterol is key for hormone, steroid & brain health
fats are protective & bind to toxins to remove them
lower risk of cancer
better eye health
bone strengthening
healthier skin
For decades, research has shown the important role fat plays in babies’ neurological development and brain function. Getting enough each day from nutritious sources is a critical piece of the puzzle for infant brain health. (1999 Milner, John A) https://patriotdirectfm.com/2017/12/polyunsaturated-fatty-acids-pufa-why-you-should-avoid-them-and-how-mainstream-nutrition-got-it-wrong/
Butter is one of the first things that I give my kids when they start eating food. It’s also something I prioritize in our diets daily.
Why butter is great:
rich in fat-soluble vitamins A, B, D, E, and K
supports immune function and bone health
can increase beneficial HDL cholesterol, promoting heart health
gut health
reduces inflammation
improves digestion
fat loss
improved metabolic health
Why do you need butter?
Butter is rich in fat-soluble Vitamin A.
Why do I need fat-soluble Vitamin A??
There are two types of Vitamin A: Retinol & Beta-Carotene
Retinol is fat-soluble vitamin A & the type found in animal sources… *it’s the type that our body can & needs to use to function well*
Beta-Carotene is found in some plants *but* your body needs to have sufficient levels of Retinol in your body to turn Beta-Carotene into Retinol (aka something useable)
What does your body use Retinol (real Vitamin A) for?
Vision quality
Cellular health & division
Hormone health & fertility
Bone & tooth health
Healthy growth
Making Ceruloplasmin (CP)
Restoring potassium levels
Transporting electrolytes
Balancing calcium & phosphorus
* When you don’t have sufficient levels of vitamins in your body, you’re going to have ISSUES with those👆🏻systems! *
Where do I get fat-soluble Vitamin A??
GRASS-FED BUTTER DAILY! It’s also in…
Animal liver (turkey, duck, beef, chicken)
Fish head
Goat cheese
Duck eggs
Salmon
Ghee
Egg yolk
Whole milk
😳But isn’t too much Vitamin A toxic?
When you’re getting vitamins from a whole food source (for example, eggs or cod liver oil), you don’t need to worry about toxicity, because the other vitamins in that whole food (specifically vitamin D) are key to regulating Vitamin A levels. The negative effects of too much vitamin A seem to be eliminated when sufficient vitamin D is in the diet. Also it’s the plant version of Vitamin A carotenes that seems to be an issue!
This is all meant to empower & educate you so that you can make the best decision for your health. Do your own research & keep learning!
Sources:
Jessica Ash
https://askdrernst.com/healthblog/pufa-dangers/
https://endalldisease.com/damaging-effects-unsaturated-fats/
https://eatmorebutter.com/why-is-butter-good-for-you/
https://jn.nutrition.org/article/S0022-3166(23)02388-X/fulltext
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27771086/