What are the healthy fats?
by Lindsey Scarber
What price does one pay for optimal health? There is no price high enough. Good health takes effort and work. Healthy fats are no different.
Two-thirds of the human brain is made of fat. Increase memory and cognition and fight depression, anxiety, and dementia by eating a diet high in healthy fats. Fats, not glucose or carbohydrates, are the human brain's preferred fuel. Healthy fats and their nutrients also help regulate hormones in the body. This includes, among many others, the digestion hormones: insulin and leptin, and the thyroid hormones
Healthy Fats earn the badge due to their high nutrient density.
Healthy Fats contain one or more essential nutrients:
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids, including DHA, DPA, and EPA strengthen gut and brain health and boost the immune system
- Omega Fatty Acids 5, 6, 7, 9 &11 are good for heart and brain health and mood regulation
- Medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs)
- Polyphenols (antioxidants)
- The Fat-soluble vitamins: Vit D3, Activated Preformed Vitamin A, Vit E, and Vit K2:
- Vitamin D3 is not a Vitamin, but a hormone. It is essential for fighting depression, anxiety and dementia and boosting overall happiness. It also aids in balancing other hormones such as the digestion hormones: insulin, leptin and ghrelin, the sex hormones: estrogen progesterone, and testosterone, and the brain hormones: serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. Vit D also helps Calcium absorb and is good for the health of bones and teeth. People in the US do not have optimal levels of Vit D because they live too far from the equator to soak up enough Vit D from the sun. Vit D3 Supplements and food sources are the best way to build optimal levels. Endocrinologists and neurologists say optimal levels of Vit D is 60-90 ng/mL. It is recommended that kids and adults living in the US take a VitD3 supplement daily and check Vit D blood levels at the next doctor's appointment.
- Activated Preformed Vitamin A Retinol. Vit A helps Vit D do everything that Vit D is good at doing. People in the US that do not have optimal levels of Vit D most likely also do not have optimal levels of Vit A retinol. Food sources of preformed Vit A are hard to find. Study it out and make it happen. The best food source is organic pasture fed animal liver. If you're like me and cant stomach liver, choose the next best food source, Cod liver oil with added lemon oil or cinammon oil for flavor. Choose foos sources carefully, a bag of carrots or a can of tomatoes says it has Vitamin A, but this is not true. Vegatables contain carotenoids, the precursor to preformed Vit A. The human body has a single-track digestive system and is very inefficient at converting carotenoids into Preformed Activated Vit A. The only source of preformed Vit A Retinol is animal liver and animal fat. One must eat animal fat to get an optimal level of the vitamin.
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K2
The 3 most important healthy fats essential for the brain and body are Extra virgin olive oil, MCFAs such as Organic unrefined coconut oil, and the Omega 3 fatty acid DHA
Check out this 3 min video introducing olive oil and coconut oil as healthy fats: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BCVvw-ReyBE
First, Organic non-GMO extra virgin cold-pressed Olive Oil.
"Olive oil is rich in polyphenols, potent antioxidants, that have been shown to reverse cognitive deficits brought on by both the natural process of aging and disease. Include 2 teaspoons of raw olive oil daily," says neurologist Dr David Perlmutter.
Here's a 30 sec video on the amazing benefits of olive oil by Dr Eric Berg - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BCVvw-ReyBE
Second, Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Oil or Medium chain fat acids (MCFAs)
MCT oil is found in coconut and unrefined Coconut Oil. It is a form of saturated fatty acid that is a powerful super fuel for the brain. It also has the benefit of reducing systemic inflammation. Add it to your daily diet.
"Coconut oil contains polyphenols. It goes one step further than olive oil by directly improving the ability of neurons and brain cell membranes to perform their cellular functions. Include in your diet 1 TBSP of MCT oil or 1-2 TBSP of raw Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil daily," says neurologist Dr David Perlmutter.
An article from veryhealthy.life states:
"The MCFAs present in unrefined coconut oil enhances brainpower and memory. MCFAs are absorbed right away in the body and don’t have to use insulin. MCFAs can fuel brain cells very efficiently. One study showed that all the patients had an improvement in memory function after taking MCFAs from unrefined coconut oil daily. Scientists are discovering more benefits of coconut oil every month. Start with coconut oil, if you want to incorporate more superfoods into your diet."
MCFAs are in very few foods. Other sources of MCFAs besides unrefined coconut oil are organic palm kernel oil, a minimal amount in a few dairy products, and MCT oil supplements.
Check out this 3 min video on the awesome benefits of coconut oil by Dr Eric Berg - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eD_O8LqvuOw
Third, the superstar Omega 3 fatty acid DHA.
DHA is very favorable to gut and brain health. DHA strengthens the gut microbiome and boosts BDNF in the brain. DHA strengthens the immune system. It is a powerful antioxidant, more powerful than Vitamin C. Two-thirds of the brain is made of fat. One quarter of the fat part of the brain is DHA. If there is no fish, marine algae, or seaweed in the diet, then there is no DHA in the diet.
Dr Perlmutter recommends that adults take 2000 - 3600 mg of DHA daily in divided doses. I take 1500mg in the morning and 1800mg at night in the form of a CVS DHA fish oil capsule supplement. I like that has minty peppermint oil as one of its ingredients. I also have 2 different Cod liver oils - lemon flavored 'On Target Living' CLO and cinammon-flavored 'Green Pastrue' COL.
Other healthy fats are:
Sesame oil
All soaked raw Nuts, except peanuts (peanuts are not a nut but a legume)
Organic Nut Butters, except peanut butter
Almond milk
Flaxseed
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Chia seeds
Avocados
Coconuts
Olives
Wild-caught small anchovies
Wild-caught small sardines
Wild-caught oily fish such as salmon, trout and herring
Cod liver oil
DHA Fish oil supplements
Vitamin D3 supplements
Meats and Animal Fat
The neurologist, Dr. David Permutter, warns, "Meat should be treated as a condiment, not as the mainstay of your meals." If your diet allows for meat, embrace some options and avoid others. Some meat products have nutrient-dense healthy fats but most don't.
A word about meats. If you are following D&C 89's Word of Wisdom, meats should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or of famine. I interpret this to mean that I should avoid eating meat in the summer, in warm weather, and in times of plenty when there is not a scarcity of food. While watching the temple endowment movie on the creation of the earth, fish and birds were placed on the Earth long before large animals. I felt impressed that, if I eat meat, I should only eat meat from animals that weigh less than I do. Also, I could honor the death of the animal and its sacrifice of death by using ALL its edible parts, throwing away little.
High nutrient-dense meats have an Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio of 4:1 or 3:1. Embrace high nutrient-dense meats and animal fats in a limited fashion. Limit your intake of these meats to the body's nutritional needs. The Omega 3 fatty acid, DHA, is exceptionally anti-inflammatory and increases brain health. The best sources of high DHA are animal sources: fish, fish oil, and fish liver oil.
Nutrient-dense meat come from animals that are fed their natural diet in their natural environment. Most weigh less than a healthy adult. Use the whole animal. Reverence the death of the animal by eating all its edible parts, wasting very little. Eat the healthy fats found in the organs, skin, and fat. Further extract the healthy fats in meat by boiling the bones, heads and feet to make a broth for soup. High nutrient-dense Meats include:
- Pasture-fed Poultry such as chicken, turkey, duck, quail etc.
- Pasture-fed Lamb, lamb liver*, lamb tallow, and bone broth
- Pasture-fed Goat, goat liver*, goat tallow, and bone broth
- Wild game such as deer, elk, and bison and some breeds of grass-fed beef
- Sustainable sources of Wild-caught Fish that are low in mercury and high in Omega fatty acids. The American Heart Association recommends eating healthy fish at least two times per week:
--- Wild-caught oily Fish such as trout, herring, and Alaskan salmon. Eat the whole fish. The most healthy fat of the fish is found in its head and brain. The Chinese create a fish head broth. They toss the fish heads before serving the soup.
--- Wild-caught medium Fish such as cod, tilapia, mahi-mahi, Atlantic mackerel, perch, Alaskan Pollock, and Artic char
--- Wild-caught small Fish such as Anchovies, Sardines, Clams, Oysters, and Scallops. Toss them on pizza and in soups and stews. Smaller fish and bivalves don't have time to accumulate as many contaminants as larger carnivorous fish
- Cold-pressed Fish oil Supplements have DHA, EPA Omega 3 and 9. Try a variety that has added peppermint oil or lemon oil to hide a fishy after taste
-Wild-caught cold-pressed Cod liver oil is anamazing superfood. It has the all Omegas of a Fish oil supplement and also includes naturally-occurring Vit D3 and performed Vit A. Cod is a medium-size fish and contains less mercury than the large fish tuna. Take 1 tsp - 1 Tbsp everyday. To mask the fishy taste, try a variety that has added peppermint oil, lemon oil or cinammon oil
Avoid these meats and animal fats.
Avoid meats that come from animals that are not fed their natural diet, are not raised in their natural environment, or are altered by people or companies to get gain. This meat has an Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio of 15:1 or 20:1. The typical American diet tends to contain 14 to 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. Meats with high Omega 6 is grossly inflammatory and should be avoided.
Many researchers believe that a diet high in Omega 6 fat acids is a significant factor in the rising rate of inflammatory disorders in the United States.
Similar to humans, animals store chemicals and waste in their fat tissues. Also, avoid eating the fat from grain-fed, waste-fed, genetically modified, or commercially-altered animals. Grain-fed and waste-fed animals may grow faster toward maturity but, in the end, produce a low nutrient-dense meat and a toxic inflammatory meat. Commercial producers add antibiotics, IGF-1, and growth hormones (including estrogen hormones) to their meats, most producers also hurt the environment. Producers use antibiotics as a prophylaxis to help prevent sickness. Eating meat with extra antibiotics hurts our gut and brain health. Producers also pump meat animals with estrogen, or more recently, genetically modify the animal to include more estrogen in its genes. Estrogen helps the animal grow to slaughter size faster. This is quick money for the producer. If the producer pumps the animal with estrogen, the FDA requires that they add estrogen to the Ingredients List on the label. If the producer genetically modifies the baby animal fetus to include more estrogen in its genes, they are not required to report it. It is harmful either way. Eating meat with extra estrogen causes many problems in the human body. Women may develop menstrual cycle pain, infertility, or other estrogen-dominance issues. Men who get high amounts of estrogen in their diet might struggle with enlarged breasts and feelings of womanhood. Large animals such as pigs and cows raised commercially harm the environment. Large animals hurt land and resources when being raised and there is a huge excess of animal waste when slaughtered. Avoid these meats:
- Commercial Pork - pork chops, sausage, bacon, bacon grease, etc. Avoid the fat, too
- Commercial Beef - steak, beef roast, ground beef. Avoid the fat, too
- Waste-fed pasture Pork and its fat
- Waste-fed pasture Beef and its fat
- Commercial-raised poultry
- Commercial deli meat - turkey, chicken, roast beef, etc
- Large fish due to mercury content, such as Tuna, shark, tilefish, and king mackerel
- All Farm-raised fish including Atlantic salmon
Dairy and eggs
Some dairy and egg products have nutrient-dense healthy fats. If your diet allows for dairy and eggs, embrace some options and avoid others.
Dairy and eggs to embrace:
- Cheeses - except for blue cheeses due to their gluten content
- Whole milk straight from Pasture-fed cows - Vit D, Vit A, Vit K
- Commercial Whole milk is not as quality as pasture-fed whole milk, but better for your brain than commercial low-fat milks. Choose whole milk that has naturally occurring Vit A listed in the Nutrition Facts but does NOT list Vit A in the list of ingredients*
- Darigold Half and Half that has Vit A listed in the Nutrition Facts but does NOT list Vit A in the list of ingredients*
- Darigold Whipping Cream that has Vit A listed in the Nutrition Facts but does NOT list Vit A in the list of ingredients*
- Homemade plain yogurt made with Darigold Half and Half or pasture-fed Whole Milk
-Pasture-fed butter is nutrient-dense if it has a deep yellow color, which means in contains preformed Vitamin A
-Commercial Butter that has Vit A listed in the Nutrition Facts but does NOT list Vit A in the list of ingredients. Good brands are CostCo Kirkland butter, LandOLakes, etc.*
-Ghee
- Eggs are a healthy fat and protein and power houses of Nutrition:
- Eggs, especially egg yolks, from pasture-fed Poultry or backyard Poultry are the most nutrient-dense kind of eggs because you control what the poultry is eating. Chickens in their natural habitat eat grass, bugs, and little rocks in the sunshine. Look for nutrient-density in the color of the yolk. Dark orange yolks have the highest nutrient-density
-Commercial Eggs are still high in protein but contain less Omegas and fat-soluble vitamins. They have pale yellow yolks but are better than no eggs at all.
- if your diet excludes eggs, ensure that you are getting high amounts of Omegas, Vit D3, and preformed Vit A from another source such as Cod liver oil.
Dairy to avoid:
- Commercial low-fat milk, 2%, 1%, and skim due to its low-fat content and due to the man-made synthetic Vit A palmitate found in the list of Ingredients
- Commercial sugar yogurt due to its high added sugar content and the man-made synthetic Vit A palmitate or Vit A acetate found in the list of Ingredients. Avoid commercial sugar yogurt even if it says it is a good source of VitD, it is not.
- Blue cheeses due to their gluten content
- Butter that has no Vitamin A listed in the Nutrition facts (brands to avoid: WalMart, Kroger, Winco, etc)
- Heavy whipping cream and Half and half that has no Vitamin A listed in the Nutrition facts (Brands to avoid: WalMart, Kroger, Winco, etc)
*Vitamin A is a super amazing fat-soluble vitamin. Populations that need activated preformed naturally-occurring Vitamin A the most are fetuses, babies, kids 0-5, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, anyone with an autoimmune disorder or autoimmune disease, and anyone diagnosed with a chronic disease.
However, there are some words of caution. Food products that have Vitamin A listed in the Nutrition Facts and also have Vit A listed in the list of ingredients means that man-made synthetic Vit A palmitate or Vit A acetate was added during processing and that Vit A is not naturally occurring in the product. Also, commercially-made Vitamin A Retinyl palmitate or acetate supplements are not absorbable by the body, can be toxic in large doses, and should be avoided. It is best to obtain activated Vitamin A from food sources.
Naturally-occurring Vitamin A, or activated preformed Vitamin A Retinol, helps every system of the body from the brain, heart, eyes, skin, epithelial layers, joints, teeth, bones, muscles, and autoimmune disorders to balancing hormones, fertility, healthy pregnancy, and healthy fetus. Activated Vit A has no known toxic dose if taken with a foundation of its sister vitamin: Vitamin D in the ratio of 1:5 or 1:10. Look for performed Vitamin A Retinol in foods that are high in healthy fat
One of the most convenient and tasty food sources of activated preformed naturally-occuring Vitamin A is Alaskan Cod liver oil (CLO). My favorite brands of cod liver oil are found on Amazon. 'On target Living' has a lemon flavored CLO that contains DHA, DPA, EPA, Vit D and Vit A. I got tired of cleaning the oily spoon. Now I tip the bottle toward the back of my throat, pour, and swallow. 'Green Pasture' has a cinammon-flavored CLO that contains all the nutrients of the On Target Living CLO and also includes Butter oil, a great source of the fat-soluble Vitamin, Vit K2. Cinnamon oil contains eugenol which strengthen gut health. I use a 2 tsp syringe to send it to the back of my throat and swallow. I use both the lemon-flavored and the cinnamon-flavored CLOs alternating every other day. I especially made it a priority to use both when I was trying to become pregnant, pregnant, or breastfeeding.
The absolute best food sources of activated preformed naturally-occuring Vitamin A is grass-fed beef calves liver, grass-fed chicken liver, and fish liver. But I confess, I cannot stomach eating liver. Food sources that have a good but limited amount of activated Vit A are pasture-fed butter, pasture-fed high-fat heavy whipping cream and Half and Half, pasture-fed chicken eggs. Babies, kids, teens, and adults alike need Vitamin A. Choose a daily dose or a high weekly dose of naturally-occurring Vit A.
