This is probably the single biggest controversy in nutritional science and the misinformation around this subject has resulted in countless deaths and ill health over the last 6 decades. How did it go so wrong?

There is a difference between fats and oils. Fats are solid at room temperature and oils are liquid. In general, fats are most often of animal origin and oils are most often plant based in origin. Fats and oils can be described by how 'saturated' they are, this leads to definitions such as saturated fats, mono-unsaturated, polyunsaturated etc.

Unsaturated fats

Typically liquid at room temperature. They differ from saturated fats in that their chemical structure contains one or more double bonds. They can be further categorized as:

Monounsaturated fats:

This type of unsaturated fat contains only one double bond in its structure. Monounsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature and include avocado oil and olive oil.

Polyunsaturated fats:

This type of unsaturated fat contains two or more double bonds in their structure. They are liquid at room temperature. Polyunsaturated fats include canola oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and corn oil.

You have probably heard that these saturated fats from animals would clog your arteries and lead to certain death from heart attacks. You should, instead, switch to ‘heart healthy’ vegetable oils, like cottonseed, corn, safflower and soy oils.

This is all sorts of wrong.

Unlike traditional fats (butter, tallow, lard, olive oil, etc.), industrial vegetable oils are a very new addition to the “food” world. They were practically non-existent until the early 1900s. With the invention of certain chemical processes and a need for “cheap” fat substitutions, the world of fat hasn’t been the same since.

Seed Oils

Vegetable oils (in reality these are seed oils) are bad because they contain very high levels of polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs). The fat content of the human body is about 97% saturated and monounsaturated fat and needs fat for rebuilding cells and hormone production. It can only use what you give it.

Polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable. They oxidize easily. These oxidized fats cause inflammation and mutation in cells. That oxidation is linked to all sorts of issues from cancer, heart disease, endometriosis, PCOS, and more.

Benefits Of Saturated Fats

Improved cardiovascular risk factors – Saturated fat plays a key role in cardiovascular health. The addition of saturated fat to the diet reduces the levels of a substance called lipoprotein (a) that correlates strongly with risk for heart disease.

Stronger bones – Saturated fat is required for calcium to be effectively incorporated into bone. According to one of the foremost research experts in dietary fats and human health, Dr. Mary Enig, Ph.D., there’s a case to be made for having as much as 50 percent of the fats in your diet as saturated fats for this reason.

Improved liver health – Saturated fat has been shown to protect the liver from alcohol and medications, including acetaminophen and other drugs commonly used for pain and arthritis.

Healthy lungs – For proper function, the airspaces of the lungs have to be coated with a thin layer of lung surfactant. The fat content of lung surfactant is 100 percent saturated fatty acids. Replacement of these critical fats by other types of fat makes faulty surfactant and potentially causes breathing difficulties.

Healthy brain – Your brain is mainly made of fat and cholesterol. Your brain is over 60% fat itself—and it needs fat to think straight and operate at its peak. The lion’s share of the fatty acids in the brain are actually saturated. A diet that skimps on healthy saturated fats robs your brain of the raw materials it needs to function optimally.

Proper nerve signalling – Certain saturated fats, particularly those found in butter, lard, coconut oil, and palm oil, function directly as signalling messengers that influence metabolism, including such critical jobs as the appropriate release of insulin.

Strong immune system – Saturated fats found in butter and coconut oil (myristic acid and lauric acid) play key roles in immune health. Loss of sufficient saturated fatty acids in white blood cells hampers their ability to recognize and destroy foreign invaders, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

Balances hormones - Your cortisol levels need fat to remain balanced (when you aren’t getting enough fat, your cortisol—stress hormones—become imbalanced, elevating cortisol, holding onto stubborn body fat and leaving you burning a candle at both ends—never able to ‘catch up’ or feel fully energized or rested)

Aids in digestion - Fat lubricates your intestinal and digestive system to help things flow smoothly and not ferment in your guts for too long.

Fights inflammation - Healthy fat—especially saturated fats, like coconut oil, ghee, egg yolks, animal meats and butter—prevents inflammation from building in your body.

Absorbs your nutrients - It helps you ABSORB all the vitamins and minerals from your food.

Saturated fat is yummy and makes everything taste better. 

Choosing Fats

When thinking fats, many people immediately refer to nuts, avocados, olive oil, nut butter, and coconut oil but there are some delicious options that you may be missing out on…

Animal Fats!

When hearing the term animal fats, you might envision the fatty skin on a chicken breast that you trim if you don’t want to eat gristle.

But cooking with animal fats is significantly different. When cooking with these fats, you are technically using a product known as “rendered animal fats.”

“Rendering” refers to the processing of animal products into more “useful materials”: the rendering of whole animal fatty tissue into purified fats like lard or tallow.

Some favorites include:

·       Lard: Pork fat.

·       Tallow: Beef fat.

·       Duck fat

These three different types of cooking fats that give your body a BOOST of much-needed:

• Saturated fats (for brain health and metabolic function),

• Omega-3’s (like those found in salmon),

• Antioxidants and vitamins…

• Plus, these fats make your eggs and meats and anything else you may be cooking taste good—really good.

Lard

Lard is “pork fat”, and is composed of both saturated (the type in egg yolks and butter) and monounsaturated fats (the type in olive oil)—giving you a variety booster in your fats.

It is one of the oldest cooking fats—found in practically every culture that cultivated pigs (meaning, it came before the processed food generation).

Benefits

·       Not as oily as olive oil, coconut oil or butter on veggies

·       Great for cooking at high heat (meats)—it does not go rancid

·       Your great-grandmother ate it (so duh, it’s good for you)

·       Neutral tasting (Allows you to naturally taste foods, without overpowering them)

·       Pastured Pork has LOTS of vitamin D (2nd highest food source after cod liver oil), plus Vitamins A, E & K

·       Cost-effective (Compared to Ghee, coconut oil, olive oil)

·       Heart protective healthy cholesterol (not bad for you)

Uses

·       Sautee and roast veggies

·       In mashed cauliflower or potatoes

·       Bake into baked goods

Opt for a “Pasture raised” Lard when looking for sustainability and ensuring you are getting the biggest bang for your nutrient buck

Tallow

Tallow is rendered “beef fat” for cooking—or more specifically “rendered suet” (the nutrient-dense fat that surrounds the organs of cows and other ruminants).

Believe it or not, fast food restaurants used to fry their fries in real beef tallow until, for “better health” reasons, they were forced to use hydrogenated oils (vegetable) instead. These ended up being the real “cancer causing” and metabolic destroyers.

Benefits

·       Saturated fats for maintaining healthy skin tone and cell integrity

·       Omega-3 fatty acids

·       Vitamins A, D, E and K

·       CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid)- a fat burner

·       Anti-inflammatory for your body

·       Digestive wellness-

·       Reduces symptoms of constipation and IBS

Uses

·       Scramble eggs

·       Sautee mushrooms

·       Pan-fry anything savory

Look for grass-fed, grass-finished tallow to ensure maximum health and nutrient density.

Duck Fat

Simply, this is fat rendered from ducks. Duck fat is probably one of the most delicious animal fats to cook with.

Benefits

·       High in monounsaturated fats (like olive oil, olives, avocado)

·       Healthy saturated fats

·       Choline (liver function, normal brain development, nerve function, muscle movement, supporting energy levels and maintaining a healthy metabolism)

Uses

·       Scramble eggs

·       Sautee Veggies

·       Sear meats and seafood

·       Pan-fry potatoes

The Take Away.

If you have been avoiding fats from animals, don't. Simply make sure that the animals have been fed correctly, this means for poultry and pork organic and for cows and sheep, pasture wherever possible.