Isn't Saturated Fat bad for us?Updated 3 months ago

No! 

There have been many reports over the past few years suggesting the food guidelines may have been flawed over the past 40 years - who’d have thought…🤔

In fact, many believe that saturated fat is essential for good health and may have longevity increasing benefits.

This can be explained in a number of ways:

• Increased saturated fat intake tends to reduce processed carbohydrate consumption, which potentially is the cause of heart disease

• Saturated fats tend to be higher in fat-soluble nutrients, Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Increased Vitamin K intake is associated with lower rates of heart disease

• Reduced seed oil consumption

• Half of the fat in your brain is saturated. It is indispensable to cognitive function.

• Caprylic acid, a saturated fat, strengthens the immune system 

• Palmitoleic acid is highly anti-viral and anti-bacterial.

• Saturated fats help build hormones

• Cell membranes are 50% saturated fat

• Saturated fats increase HDL, the “good cholesterol”

• Scientists have now realized LDL particle size matters more than total LDL number. Diets high in saturated fat and low in carbs increase LDL size (which is a positive)

• High fat diets lead to ketosis and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.

• Because saturated fats don’t have double bonds, they’re more resistant to oxidative damage 

• Saturated fats have a glycemic index of 0

Lastly, studies continue to debunk the myth that saturated fat causes heart disease. This review from 2014 looking at 78 studies, found no link at all between saturated fat and heart disease.

Author's conclusions: “The evidence did not clearly support cardiovascular guidelines that encouraged high consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids and low consumption of total saturated fats.”