DON’T FEAR FAT

AS AN ELDER millennial, I lived a good portion of my formative years without the Internet, and can still remember when avocados and olive oil were looked at as “fattening” and SnackWell’s cookies were considered health food. My grandmother used to buy fat-free cheese, and I’m a little afraid to think about what was even in that stuff. Amazing how things have changed!

While I learned in nutrition school about the importance of dietary fat, I gained a strong appreciation for its power the winter I turned thirty-two and felt like my life was falling apart. My dad was very ill at the time, and I was so worn out from rushing back and forth between New York, New Jersey, and whatever hospital or doctor’s office he happened to be in on whatever day, my immune system took a major hit. My cortisol levels were a little elevated, thanks to the mental and emotional stress, not to mention the toll all that stress took on my sleep.

It was also during this time that I found myself on four rounds of antibiotics to heal an infection in my left thumbnail, which ended up needing to be removed. The gut-brain connection we talked about a few chapters ago? Um, yeah— because antibiotics kill all the good bacteria with the bad, I was in rough shape. I had no energy and felt like I just couldn’t think straight, much less communicate clearly.

I was trying so hard to keep it together for my family, but when an allergic reaction to one of those antibiotics led to me having to get an emergency Benadryl shot and lie on the couch thinking about my own mortality for an entire day, I had to get real about the fact that something wasn’t working. It was a slow burn of a near-death experience, but still, very much a wake-up call.

As I got my health back on track, it seemed like all I wanted to eat was hard-boiled eggs and arugula salad with avocado, wild sardines packed in olive oil, and radishes cooked in butter. For snacks, I was all about whole milk Greek yogurt with sunflower seed butter and frozen berries. Something was up—and no, I wasn’t pregnant. I started exploring these cravings more and realized that a lot of these foods were rich in important fatty acids my brain and body were crying out for.

Here’s what I mean.

Why Fat Is Important

The thing is, we actually need fat in our diet. Fat provides energy, protects our organs, and plays a vital role in body functions such as temperature regulation, hormone production, and cell growth. Fat is also part of the structure of cells, including brain cells. Having adequate fat in the diet has also been linked to better cognitive function. Certain fats like omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to counter the inflammatory effect of stress in the body.⁴⁰

Having fat in our diet is also really important for feeling satisfied, as we talked about in the Hanger Management chapter. Even a little can go a long way toward giving a meal or snack staying power that will keep us full and energized for a long time.

One gram of fat, regardless of the type, contains 9 calories. But not all fats are equal. There are actually several different types of fat, each of which has a different structure and behaves somewhat differently in the body.⁴¹ They are:

• Saturated Fat

• Trans Fat

• Monounsaturated Fat

• Polyunsaturated Fat

Saturated and trans fats are what you’ll often see called “bad” fats, and they’re generally solid at room temperature. They have been shown to raise LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol).

Saturated fat is generally found in foods like fatty beef, lamb, poultry with skin, egg yolks, and dairy, as well as in coconut oil. It used to be thought that we should avoid these foods as much as possible, but recent research has suggested that as long as you’re consuming them in amounts to suit your goals, they can be a part of a healthy diet.

There’s a lot of conflicting information about coconut oil. While it’s a saturated fat, the primary fatty acid found in coconut oil, lauric acid, is a medium-chain fatty acid that has 12 carbon atoms. All triglyceride molecules are composed of three fatty acid molecules and a glycerol molecule. Medium-chain triglycerides, which are made from fatty acids with 6-12 carbon atoms, are processed by the body differently from other fats, and may produce a variety of health benefits, from weight loss to improved brain function, according to some research. That said, there are several other types of fatty acids in coconut oil.⁴²

While I do think that coconut oil can be a part of a healthy diet, as with anything, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Context and portions still count with this one. I generally encourage consuming coconut oil in the context of your saturated fat intake for the day. More on that below.

I usually tell my clients to avoid trans fats, though, as this one both raises LDL and lowers HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Trans fats are found in many commercial baked goods as well as in fried foods, margarine, and some dressings, sauces, and the like. Check labels to make sure. A red flag is seeing “partially hydrogenated” oil on the ingredients label. This means that hydrogen atoms have been added to the fatty acids to make them solid at room temperature and, therefore, more shelf-stable.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are often referred to as the “good” fats, and are generally liquid at room temperature. They have been shown to help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Good food sources of monounsaturated fats include olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil, avocados, and many nuts and seeds.

Sources of polyunsaturated fat include sunflower oil, soybean oil, and corn oil.

If you’re wondering where omega-3s fit in, here you go. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat.⁴³ There are three types, including:

• eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a 20-carbon fatty acid that’s involved in the production of chemicals called eicosanoids, which help reduce inflammation in the body.⁴⁴ EPA has also been associated with decreased symptoms of depression.⁴⁵ Food sources include fatty fish like salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel.

• docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a 22-carbon fatty acid that’s essential for normal fetal brain development⁴⁶ and proper brain function in adults and children.⁴⁷You’ll find it in a lot of the same fish as EPA.

• alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an 18-carbon, plant-based omega-3 fatty acid that’s a precursor to EPA and DHA. This means that ALA we consume can be converted into EPA and DHA in the body. However, the process isn’t very efficient, so someone on a plant-based diet would need to consume a larger amount or use a supplement to get an amount close to what they would get if they were consuming food sources of EPA and DHA. Because it’s the only one of the three that our body can’t make on its own, ALA is considered an essential fatty acid. Food sources of ALA include flaxseed and flaxseed oil, chia seeds, and walnuts.

How Much Fat Do You Need?

The exact amount of dietary fat required can vary from person to person. For example, a doctor may recommend a low-fat diet for certain gastrointestinal conditions like pancreatitis, or a very high-fat diet for someone with a neurological condition like drug-resistant epilepsy. Have you heard of the keto diet? It was started in the 1920s to treat epilepsy long before it was a weight loss fad. For someone with a heart condition or who has an elevated risk of heart disease, special attention may be paid to the specific sources of dietary fat, like limiting saturated fat while promoting mono- and polyunsaturated fats.

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming 20-35 percent of your total calories from fat, with no more than 10 percent of your daily calories coming from saturated fat. For someone on a 2,000-calorie diet, that’s about 200 calories, or just over 22 grams of saturated fat per day.⁴⁸ The American Heart Association is slightly more conservative, recommending that your saturated fat intake account for just 5 to 6 percent of your calories—11 to 13 grams for someone on a 2,000-calorie diet.⁴⁹

While there are no set requirements for omega-3 fatty acids, it’s generally recommended that healthy adults consume about 1.1-1.6 grams per day, though this is actually the recommendation for ALA, since that’s the only omega-3 fatty acid that’s essential. If you’re regularly consuming fish you’ll hit that target a lot more quickly. Eating fish two to three times per week can help you cover all of your omega-3 bases.⁵⁰

Becoming aware of how much fat keeps you feeling satisfied and energized can help you find your sweet spot.

In general, spreading fat throughout your day in appropriate serving sizes can help you enjoy the benefits without overdoing it. Here are some examples.

How to Fit Healthy Fats Into Your Everyday Diet

At Breakfast

• Spread a quarter to a half of an avocado on whole grain toast and top with a fried or poached egg

• Enjoy a vegetable omelet made with whole eggs or top a bowl of veggies with eggs

• Add nut butter or nuts to a bowl of oatmeal

• Swap nut butter or tahini for butter on toast

At Lunch

• Add avocado to a salad

• Skip bottled low-fat salad dressing and make a simple vinaigrette with up to a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

• Enjoy a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread for a quick and easy lunch

At Dinner

• Make a walnut-based pesto to toss with pasta

• Enjoy baked salmon with your favorite vegetables and whole grain or starchy vegetable

• Roast veggies in olive, avocado, or sesame oil

At Snacks

• Hit up oyster happy hour with your friends for an omega-3 fix

• Enjoy nuts, seeds, or a nut-based bar as a portable snack

• Enjoy half an avocado with a dash of sea salt and a sprinkle of hemp seeds right from the skin, with the spoon.

Bottom Line

Don’t fear fat. As part of a balanced diet, it’s a crucial part of efficient brain function and energy management. Space out your intake through your day and include a variety of sources. If you need some guidance as to whether you need to limit saturated fat, consult with a registered dietitian.