5 Myths About Fat Consumption

Historically, most people have always eaten more fat than the amount that has been recommended in the last 50 to 60 years and none of these societies had as many obesity problems as our current society has.

Before I explain each one of these 5 myths, please take note that this text (and all this site, actually) is done in an informative but not prescriptive character. I want to share with you the knowledge I got from my reading, research and experience for more than 10 years. I am not telling you to do something specifically. Instead, I want to help you become more informed and have more productive conversations with your trusted doctor, nutritionist or health professional, so that together you can decide what is best for you and your specific case .

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is an essential fat in our body, which has two origins: a part produced by the organism itself, in particular the liver, and other part obtained through feeding, in particular by the ingestion of animal products such as meat, eggs, and dairy products. The body needs cholesterol to produce the membranes (walls) cells, hormones, vitamin D and bile acids, which help to digest the foods.

However, our body needs only a small amount cholesterol to fulfill our needs. When cholesterol is in excess, it can get stored in the arterial walls, making it difficult for blood to flow to organs and tissues of the organism. When oxygenated blood does not reach the muscle in sufficient quantity chest pain, called angina, can occur. If the obstruction of the coronary artery is complete, a myocardial infarction may develop.

Cholesterol circulates in blood bound to a protein: this set cholesterol-protein is therefore known as lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are classified as high, low or very low, depending on the respective proportion of protein and fat in each one, which determines its density:

• Low-density lipoproteins (LDL): they are commonly known as "Bad" cholesterol, because it is deposited in the wall of the arteries, leading to atherosclerosis. The higher the LDL in the blood, the higher the is the risk of cardiovascular disease. • High-density lipoproteins (HDL): also known as cholesterol "Good", which has the role of cleaning the arteries, so that the higher risk of cardiovascular disease. • Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL): they are similar to LDL, but containing more fat and less protein.

Myth # 1 - Eating Fat Increases Your Total Cholesterol - And This Is Dangerous

It is true that total cholesterol can increase on an LCHF diet (low in carbohydrates and high in fats). Especially if a large part of the fats ingested are of the saturated fat type. But if fat intake really can increase total cholesterol why is this point a myth? The reason is beacause people are not afraid of cholesterol but rather of heart disease that is associated with high cholesterol levels.

However, it is important to note that no scientific evidence has ever been able to find a cause and effect relationship between higher cholesterol and heart disease.

In fact, the origin of the generalized phobia of cholesterol is a scientific research of dubious character, whose findings have never been proven: the fat phobia that exists today began in the United States, from a biased study by scientist Ancel Keys in 1953. In summary, Mr. Keys conducted a correlation study between saturated fat intake versus heart disease incidence in 22 countries. At the time of publishing his findings Mr Keys, very cleverly, left in the study only a few countries that could corroborate the theory that he had: that fat was responsible for the increased incidence of heart disease. Ancel Keys in the early 1960s became part of the American Heart Association (AHA) that strongly influenced US government guidelines. From there, the AHA eventually recommended a drastic reduction in the consumption of foods rich in saturated fat, leading to an intellectual confusion, a dogma that not only helped nothing but did a great disservice to the population. As American science and culture exert a lot of influence in the rest of the world, this dogma has spread all over the world and has become a pearl of conventional wisdom, one of those things that everyone thinks, but it does not have the slightest idea of ​​why.

Based on this study, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) changed the Food Pyramid in 1979 and the base is still the same nowadays.

The base of the food pyramid consists of refined and integral carbohydrates such as breads, whole-grain crackers, sweets, pancakes, whole grains and others, the kind of food that science shows us through hundreds of studies that raise blood sugar, raise insulin and lead over time and overconsumption to overweight, obesity and in many people lead to diabetes, high blood pressure and increased triglycerides, the deadly trio known as Metabolic Syndrome. In short, the food pyramid gets you sick over the years! And almost no one makes that association (1). Even physicians and nutritionists unfortunately continue to point to it as the basis of current food, something in my opinion unbelievable!

After the study of Ancel Keys, two other very complete studies were conducted for many years following the diet of more than 61 thousand people:

1. MRFIT: Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial was a 1972 study of 12,866 men at great risk of cardiovascular problems and lasted seven years. In it, the hypothesis of reducing mortality was analyzed by changing the risk factors, such as a diet low in fat. The study group was divided in two: one control and the other that stopped smoking, treated hypertension and maintained a diet with low saturated fat.

2. WHI: Women's Health Initiative was a women-only study (48,835 of them) to analyze the effects of a low-fat diet on the occurrence of breast cancer and cardiovascular problems. It lasted about eight years.

In none of these studies it has been possible to prove that a low fat diet prevents heart disease or that the consumption of saturated fat is harmful to the heart. On the contrary, consumption of saturated fat increases the High Density Lipoproteins (HDL), popularly called "good cholesterol".

Following a diet that does not run away from food fat, there may be an increase in total cholesterol. However, as we have said, some of this increase may be due to HDL. And if your HDL increases, the ratio of HDL to LDL will probably look even better. This ratio is more important than total cholesterol alone (and, in fact, HDL can be considered a protector of heart health). For example, a person who had 180 of total cholesterol and 30 of HDL would have more cardiac risk (taking into account only that marker) than one who had 200 of total cholesterol and 50 of HDL. In the first case, the ratio between total cholesterol and HDL would give 6, and in the second would give 4. That is, by increasing 20 points in each one, it is more protected than if it were in the first situation. However, not only does HDL increase in a low-carb diet because, often, LDL also increases. But not all LDLs are the same. In fact, there are two types of LDL: one with more beneficial particles, and one with more dangerous particles. And in a diet low in carbohydrates and high in fat, what can happen is an increase of these more beneficial particles and a decrease of the most dangerous particles (2).

Please not that a small part of the population may have a condition known as dyslipidemia. People with this condition have a sudden increase in their cholesterol when they ingest a little more saturated fat, and their cholesterol can reach really high levels. In that case, a disproportionate increase in LDL may indeed be harmful (for example, an LDL in the 400's). For these people it may not even be advisable to follow a higher fat diet but this is the health professional who will decide. In any case, if you have this condition or not, I recommend you to always take exams and consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Myth # 2 - Eating Fat Raises Triglycerides

Triglycerides are another type of fat that circulates in the blood attached to VLDLs (Very low density lipoproteins).

A diet that is excessively high in calories, sugars or alcohol raises triglycerides, increasing cardiovascular risk. In fact, the rise in triglycerides in the bloodstream is primarily the result of a high intake of carbohydrates - not fat. What happens is that there comes a time when our body can no longer handle very well those excess carbohydrates that are circulating in our bloodstream, even because all of this glucose is somewhat toxic to our body. So to avoid some kind of intoxication, the liver transforms that bunch of glucose that is circulating in triglycerides, which are particles less toxic to our body.

If you regularly eat more calories than you burn, particularly from high-carbohydrate foods, you may have high triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia).

High triglycerides may contribute to hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls (arteriosclerosis), which increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease. Extremely high triglycerides can also cause acute inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). Therefore, a lower carbohydrate intake, provided by a low-carb diet (which tends to have more fat in general), is associated with a decrease in triglycerides and not an increase in triglycerides. Once again science overturns an already entrenched acumen in our society.

Myth # 3 - Eating Fat makes you Fat

The third myth is that eating more fat in the diet leads, consequently, to the accumulation of more fat in our body.

Science and my personal experience shows though that a low-carb diet works for weight loss. As if studies were not enough, we still have countless reports of weight loss and success stories to support this point. So the quote "you are what you eat"does not work that way so directly.

Myth # 4 - Eating Fat Leads to Fat Accumulation in the Liver

Unfortunately, even today, there are many people who think that increasing the amount of fat in a diet can lead to cases of liver fat. But that's not true (3). In fact, a low-carb diet (especially low in fructose) can be very beneficial in treating cases of liver fat. Briefly, we can say that fat ingested in the diet (if it's of good quality) does not cause fat in the liver - and can still help to combat this problem. On the other hand, the excess carbohydrate in a diet is what can lead to this accumulation of fat in the liver, and also to other health problems like type 2 diabetes.

Myth # 5 - Eating Fat leads to Type 2 Diabetes

Many people who start to have pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes have a recommendation to lower fats and increase whole-body carbohydrates. Generally, patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes are advised to lose weight because most of the cases are people who already have weight problems as well. And according to the traditional recommendation made by people who have not updated themselves and are not looking to the scientific evidence, this weight loss should happen according to the old food pyramid and the artificial restriction of calorie intake. However, if you are here you are probably already tired of knowing this is not a long-term strategy and a diet low in carbohydrates and high in fat will present superior results in the treatment of this condition of diabetes. In fact, diabetes is just a difficulty for your body in dealing with glucose. In the case of type 1 diabetes the body does not produce insulin, and this is a natural condition of people, sometimes genetic, sometimes autoimmune.

In the case of type 2 diabetes, their cells are becoming less and less sensitive to insulin, precisely because of the many carbohydrates ingested. Therefore, it is a condition acquired by bad habits and a lifestyle that is not consistent with good health. So it does not make sense to just medicate yourself and continue with the type of diet and lifestyle that led to this problem. Luckily many professionals are already up to date on that point. Once again please note that if you are already on a diabetes treatment, you have to talk to your doctor before moving to a low-carb diet.

In any case, consider the following reflection:

For a person who has lactose intolerance, the diet should have lactose restriction. For a celiac person, who has problems with gluten, the food should be gluten free. So why for a person who does not deal well with carbohydrates and sugars (as with diabetics), we would recommend that they eat whole carbohydrates, which are pretty much the same thing when they enter your body than refined carbohydrates, and tell them to avoid eating fats, which have virtually no effect on insulin? It doesn't seem like the most rational thing to do, does it? Whether from scientific evidence or logic, it is clear that eating fat does not lead to diabetes or harm its treatment. A diet with more fats and less carbohydrates may be actually the solution for most of the cases of this disease.

Our lifes and the Internet (as a huge source of information) are full of "false truths" that, from being repeated, find their place in the imaginary of people. But the science must start with myths and with the critique of these myths. So I hope with this text you will be able to better inform yourself about your eating habits, and understand that following a LCHF diet is not crazy but an investment in your health for the rest of your life.