Saturated Fats
Does the body have a need for saturated fat?
No. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) & the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2015) the human body “makes more than enough to meet those needs. Individuals 2 years and older therefore have no dietary requirement for saturated fats” (p. 31).
Where are saturated fats generally found?
According to the HHS & USDA (2015) saturated fats are generally found in all animal products. Saturated fats are found in animal flesh and animal products such as butter, cheese, beef fats, pork, and chicken among other sources (p. 27).
Are there any plant foods that contain saturated fat?
Yes. According to the HHS & USDA (2015) saturated fats are also found in larger amounts in coconut, coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oils, but can also be found in limited amounts in vegetable oils (p. 27).
What is saturated fat for?
According to the HHS & USDA (2015) “The human body uses some saturated fats for physiological and structural functions” (p. 31).
How can I tell what saturated fat looks like?
The HHS & USDA (2015) states that fats with a higher amount of saturated fatty acids are usually solid at room temperature and are referred to as “solid fats.” Examples of solid fats would be coconut oil, lard, butter, strips of fat on meats such as bacon that can be visually seen (p. 27).
How much saturated is safe to consume?
There is no safe amount of saturated fat to consume. The Institute Of Medicine ([IOM], 2002) recognizes that their own “report doesn’t set maximum levels for saturated fat, cholesterol, or trans fatty acids, as increased risk exists at levels above zero, however the recommendation is to eat as little as possible while consuming a diet adequate in important other essential nutrients” (para. 8). The HHS & USDA (2015) suggest that “Intake of saturated fats should be limited to less than 10 percent of calories per day” (p. 31) and the American Heart Association (AHA) (2016) suggests that saturated fat intake should make up approximately 5 to 6 percent of daily calories. According to the IOM (2002) “a UL (tolerable upper intake level) is not set for saturated fatty acids because any incremental increase in saturated fatty acids intake increases CHD risk” (p. 422).
What risks does saturated fat consumption pose to humans?
According to the HHS & USDA (2015) the reason for the low recommendation of saturated fat is due to the fact that increased consumption of saturated fat is linked to an increase in cardiovascular disease (p. 27). According to the AHA (2017), your liver produces more cholesterol when you eat a diet high in saturated and trans fat. This is also highlighted by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP, 2002), which recognizes that “among the fatty acids that make up the total fat in the diet, only saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids raise LDL cholesterol levels” (p.3263). It appears that the consumption of saturated fats within the diet, regardless of source, increase one’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
If cholesterol is not good for my health and neither is saturated fat, would coconut and palm oils be healthier because they contain a high amount of saturated fat, but not cholesterol?
No, coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil containing large amounts of saturated fat which increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. While saturated fats and cholesterol primarily found in animal flesh and animal products increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, so do these tropical oils (Vannice and Rasmussen, 2014; AHA, 2017 b).
Does eating saturated fat increase cholesterol levels?
Yes, according to the AHA (2017 a) your liver produces more cholesterol when you eat a diet high in saturated and trans fats.
Do other health organizations have suggestions regarding daily saturated fat consumption?
Yes. The AHA (2017 b) recommends 5 to 6% of daily calories from saturated fat daily. For example if you follow a 2000 calorie diet approximately 100 calories, or less, should come from saturated fat, which is approximately 11-13g of saturated fat per day. There are 9 calories contained within a gram of fat. 9 calories x 11 grams = 99 calories, which can be rounded up to 100 calories. The AHA (2017 b) even provides a list of foods containing high amounts of saturated fats, such as butter, cheese, other dairy products, beef, lamb, poultry, among many other animal products as well as plant-based tropical oils such as palm kernel oil, palm oil, and coconut oil.
Is it even possible to consume a low amount of saturated fat?
Yes, a whole foods plant-based diet devoid of animal products and free from tropical oils like coconut and palm kernel oils, liquid oils, processed foods, and limited nuts and seeds is naturally low in saturated fat. Consuming saturated fat is unavoidable however, keeping the amount of saturated fat low is ideal.
Is there any evidence to support the fact that eating less cholesterol and saturated fat is linked to better health outcomes?
Yes. According to the HHS & USDA (2015):
Strong evidence from mostly prospective cohort studies but also randomized controlled trials has shown that eating patterns that include lower intake of meats as well as processed meats and processed poultry are associated with reduced risk of CVD in adults. Moderate evidence indicates that these eating patterns are associated with reduced risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer in adults (p. 25).
Saturated Fat Overview:
Based on the above information, the human body has no need for dietary saturated fat as it produces sufficient quantities. There are a few primary sources of saturated fat within the human diet. One source is the ingestion of animal flesh and animal products. The other source is through the ingestion of tropical oils such as coconut, coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil. All oils contain small amounts of saturated fats as do nuts, seeds, and avocados. Besides the plants mentioned above, plant foods typically do not contain high levels of saturated fat though they are present. Any saturated fat consumption above zero increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Therefore, to minimize your risk of cardiovascular disease, abstinence of all animal flesh, animal products, and tropical oils, along with decreasing your intake of nuts and seeds that contain higher amounts of saturated fats is recommended.
Trans Fats
Where are trans fats naturally found?
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2015), trans fats are only naturally found in ruminant (animal) fats, thus animal flesh and animal products (p. 32).
Are trans fats found anywhere else?
Yes. There are also synthetic man-made forms of trans fats, such as partially hydrogenated oils in margarines and other solid fats. These are sometimes referred to as industrially processed trans fats. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2015), “Hydrogenation is used by food manufacturers to make products containing unsaturated fatty acids solid at room temperature (i.e., more saturated) and therefore more resistant to becoming spoiled or rancid” (p. 32).
Are (ruminant) animal trans fats safer than industrially produced trans fats?
No, Trans fats are not healthy, both animal sources of trans fats as well as industrially processed sources of trans fats lead to cardiovascular disease. A 2012 study conducted by Laake et al. (2012) argues “that TFA (trans fatty acid) intake, irrespective of source, increases CVD (cardiovascular disease) risk” (p.743). In fact, according to Laake et al. (2012), intake of trans fatty acids from ruminant fat was positively associated with risk of death from CVD (cardiovascular disease), CHD (coronary heart disease), and sudden death in women, but not in men” (p.749). Ruminant fat, is fat found to varying degrees in animal products.
Are trans fats safe for human consumption and if so how much should we consume?
The Institute of Medicine ([IOM], 2002) report states that “the report doesn’t set maximum levels for saturated fat, cholesterol, or trans fatty acids, as increased risk exists at levels above zero, however the recommendation is to eat as little as possible while consuming a diet adequate in important other essential nutrients” (para. 8). According to the IOM (2002), “a UL (tolerable upper intake level) is not set for trans fatty acids because any incremental increase in trans fatty acid intake increases CHD risk” (p. 432). In fact, according to Mozaffarian, Katan, Ascherio, Stampfer and Willet (2006) “…conducting randomized long-term trials to test the effects of trans fat intake on the incidence of cardiovascular events would be unethical” (p. 1604). According to the HHS & USDA (2015), “Individuals should limit intake of trans fats to as low as possible by limiting foods that contain synthetic sources of trans fats, such as partially hydrogenated oils in margarines, and by limiting other solid fats” (p. 32). However, the HHS & USDA (2015) further states, “Because natural trans fats are present in dairy products and meats in only small quantities and these foods can be important sources of nutrients, these foods do not need to be eliminated from the diet” (p. 32). This seems to be in contrast to the HHS & USDA (2015) statement that “a number of studies have observed an association between increased intake of trans fats and increased risk of CVD. This increased risk is due, in part, to its LDL-cholesterol-raising effect” (p. 32).
The 2015 – 2020 United States dietary guidelines state that trans fats are no longer generally recognized as safe and will be removed from the food supply. Is this correct?
According to the office of the federal register, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Health and Human Services (2013) has recently banned the industrial processed use of fully and partially hydrogenated oils in foods, however, this does not mean trans fats will be completely out of the food supply. Food companies can still add trans-fats to their food, regardless of the health risks posed, if they receive FDA approval to use it as a food additive (para. 7).
Where else might trans fats be found if they are not completely removed from the foods supply?
According to Susan Mayne, Ph. D., Director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, “Trans fat wouldn’t be completely gone… because it also occurs naturally in meat and dairy products” (para. 6).
Besides meat and dairy products, are trans fats found in any other food products?
According to Susan Mayne, Ph. D., Director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, trans fats are “also present at very low levels in other edible oils, where it is unavoidably produced during the manufacturing process. In addition, companies can petition FDA for specific uses of certain partially hydrogenated oils” (para. 6). Even edible oils such as olive oil and canola oil contain small traces of trans fats.
Where can I look for more information regarding the amount of trans fats in animal flesh, animal products, and food products such as baked goods, frosting and oils?
A quick search of the USDA Agriculture research service and the official nutrient database for “Fat and Fatty Acid Content of Selected Foods Containing Trans-Fatty Acids” (n.d) can yield some interesting results. Bologna, burgers, chicken fat, cheese, hot dogs, milk, turkey meat, and yogurt contain about 1 to 5% of trans fats and the report also shows that small amount of trans fats are present in vegetable oils as well (multiple pages).
Does eating trans fats increase cholesterol levels?
Yes, according to the AHA (2017 a), your liver produces more cholesterol when you eat a diet high in saturated and trans fats (para. 2).
Is it even possible to completely avoid trans fat in our diet?
Yes, the IOM (2002) states:
Similar to saturated fatty acids, there is a positive linear trend between trans fatty acid intake and LDL cholesterol concentration, and therefore increased risk of CHD (Coronary Heart Disease). A UL (tolerable upper intake level) is not set for trans fatty acids because any incremental increase in trans fatty acid increases Coronary Heart Disease risk. Because trans fatty acids are unavoidable in ordinary, non-vegan diets, consuming 0 percent of energy would require significant changes in patterns of dietary intake (p. 423).
A whole foods plant-based diet containing vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and limited nuts and seeds while devoid of animal products and free from oils and processed foods containing oils, especially fully or partially hydrogenated oils, is devoid of trans fats.
Trans Fat Overview:
Based on the above information, the human body has no need for dietary trans fats as any incremental increase above zero is harmful. There are a few primary sources of Trans Fat within the human diet. One source is the ingestion of animal flesh and animal products. The other source is through the ingestion of industrially processed fully and partially hydrogenated oils. Another is through the ingestion of vegetable oil. Any trans fat consumption above zero increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, therefore to decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, abstaining from all animal flesh and animal products as well as processed foods containing partially and fully hydrogenated oils and all vegetable oils is encouraged. Research has shown that trans fats, regardless of source, including animal fats, industrially processed (fully or partially hydrogenated) oils, or vegetable oils, are unsafe for human consumption.
Copyright © 2017 Kenoshaheart.org
Website Disclaimer