Nutritional Breakthroughs
When it comes to diet and nutritional breakthroughs, determining what is ‘healthy’ and what isn’t, has been an ever changing topic that’s been up for debate for decades. Nutritional trends such as eating fat-free products was thought to be healthier than eating a high fat diet. Sugar substitutes were thought to be healthier than eating pure cane sugar. Eating too many eggs per week was thought to be unhealthy. There were dangers posed about drinking too much coffee, but today’s latest trend speaks highly of that warm cup of Joe in the morning to protect against Dementia and Alzheimers. With such rapid changes in nutritional science over the years, it’s no wonder why many people are confused about what is healthy and what isn’t.
The reason for so many changes in nutritional trends is because nutritional research is constantly changing and expanding. In recent years, it has been found that a high consumption of saturated fat has been linked to cancer.
According to Epidemiologist Michael Alavanja who compared the diets of 600 nonsmoking women, he found that women who derived more than 40% of their total calories from fat were at the highest risk for developing lung cancer, whereas women who derived fewer than 30% of their total calories from fat were at the lowest risk. Dietary fat has also been implicated as a risk factor for breast cancer as well. In a 1991 study, University of Toronto researchers showed that a woman’s risk for developing breast cancer increased along with her consumption of fat.
Another factor is that those who eat a diet lower in saturated fat, also tend to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, which has also been shown to reduce cancer risks.
The role of dietary fat in heart disease and cancer may get the most press, but fat has been linked to other diseases. According to a report in Diabetes Care, fat consumption may contribute to the development of adult-onset diabetes in people with impaired glucose toleIn a three-year study of 123 such patients, the subjects who developed diabetes had the highest mean consumption of dietary fat: 43.4% of their total calories. Those who consumed 40.6% percent fat did not develop the disease, and those whose consumption was 38.9% actually converted to normal glucose tolerance. While dietary fat has not been established as a cause of adult-onset diabetes, such research raises the possibility. Of course, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle have long been associated with adult-onset diabetes. Nor has a direct link between dietary fat and arthritis been established, but research suggests that it may one day be made.
The question many people are asking today, is ALL fat created equal? While saturated fat and trans fat has been the component that has linked many people to various diseases, vegetable fat such as olive oil and coconut oil seems to have the opposite effect.
Saturated fat is solid at room temperature and can be found in foods such as butter, lard, and high-fat dairy sources. Eating an excess amount of saturated fats can raise the blood LDL level which causes harm to arteries, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Trans-fats are a manufactured form of fat that raises the LDL levels (bad cholesterol) while also lowering the HDL levels (good cholesterol). Trans-fats are not good for our health and are actually no longer on the FDA’s “Generally Recognized As Safe” list.
Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, are considered healthy fats! Unlike saturated fats, these fats don’t harden at room temperature and remain in liquid form. Vegetable oil like Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Unrefined Coconut Oil actually work to remove cholesterol and plaque build-up in the arteries, they can help with weight loss, brain health, can reduce cancer risk, and are actually a very important part of a healthy diet. Good sources of healthy fats include avocado, nuts, nut butters, plant-based oils, olive oil, seeds, nuts, eggs, as well as fatty fish oil such as salmon oil.
