Thursday, January 6, 2011

Why we need Fat to stay thin. (courtesy of Shoreline CrossFit)

http://www.shorelinecrossfit.com/2010/11/fats-we-need-em-to-stay-thin/

First, there are several types of fats:

• Monounsaturated Fat: sometimes referred to as omega-9, lots of associated health benefits, very stable (not easily oxidized through exposure to heat, air and light), common sources include avocados, almonds, macadamia nuts, and olive oil.
• Polyunsaturated Fat: includes omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, commonly associated with inflammatory  responses, not stable (easily oxidized to free radicals –bad), common sources for omega-6 are vegetable oils (highest concentrations in safflower, peanut, corn, canola and soy oil), common sources for omega-3 are fish oil and flax seed oil.
• Saturated Fat: made of a number of fatty acids, typically considered the least healthful but is extremely important for energy and hormone function, very stable (solid at room temp), found along with most other sources of fat but typically higher levels in animal sources.

While some food sources are higher in a particular form of fat, most contain some combination of all three:

A common question folks have is “How much is too much?”  How much almond butter, olive oil, meat, coconut oil, whatever….  And the answer is:  ”It depends.”  Whether we like it or not, the body needs all three in order to function at optimal levels.  What makes things go awry is when our fat intake gets out of balance.

Consumption of monounsaturated fats is known to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and raise “good” HDL cholesterol, leading to improved cardiovascular health.

Polyunsaturated fats play a vital role in regulating inflammation.  Inflammation is a necessary step in the healing process (to include regular cellular repair and muscle growth), and is mostly promoted by the omega-6s.  Reducing inflammation is primarily the role of the omega-3s.  Ideally, consumption of your polyunsaturated fats would be 2:1 omega-6 to omega-3, but typical American diets are closer to 20+:1.

Saturated fats often get a bad rap for a couple of reasons.   As mentioned earlier, saturated fats are made up of a number of fatty acids, and palmitic acid is one of them.  High blood levels of palmitic acid may predict type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and carbohydrate intolerance.  Arachidonic acid* is another such component of saturated fat.  Small amounts of this fatty acid are essential for brain health, but high levels can create chronic inflammation, bone loss, and increased pain.  When fat intakes are balanced, consumption of either of these fatty acids via foods higher in saturated fat does not pose a health risk.
(*Excess omega-6 can actually convert to arachidonic acid, leading to chronic inflammation issues.)

Another reason saturated fats are looked down upon is because sources of good saturated fats are limited.  The most common source of saturated fat is meat (beef, chicken, fish, etc), and the fatty acid profile of the meat’s saturated fat is largely determined by what the animal ate.  Grass-fed and wild game meats (compared to grain fed) typically have profiles that are both lower in palmitic acid and higher in stearic acid, which supports better immune function.

Some fat balancing issues to keep in mind:

• Too much omega-6 consumption will lead to chronic inflammation and disease because your body won’t be able to control the inflammatory response.
• Too little omega-3 consumption won’t allow your body to regulate inflammation.
• Too little saturated fat consumption and your body will have diminished immune function, poor energy production and utilization, and you’ll smell bad.
• Combining too much omega-6 with too much saturated fat, and not enough omega-3 and monounsaturated fat is asking for early retirement from life.

Easy steps to help keep your fats balanced:

• For cooking use coconut oil, avocado oil, butter (if you’re into that sort of thing), olive oil (although not ideal for high temperature cooking), or lard.
• Avoid vegetable oils and trans fat.
• Help to balance out your omega-6 to omega-3 intake to a 2:1 ratio by taking your fish oil.
• Understand that different foods and oils have different fatty acid profiles, so get some variety: eat a variety of meats, work avocados in, and get your hands on as many different kinds of nuts as decency allows.

So don’t be afraid to get some good fats in throughout the day.  I keep a jar of almond butter at my desk to help with cravings throughout the work day.

WOD:

7 Rounds
7 Overhead Squats (115/80)
7 KB Swings (70/53)
7 Burpees

And great job everybody yesterday on Fran! Tons of PRs and first timers, even added a Pukie to the mix! Way to push Dave K.