Heart of the Matter
Don’t Eliminate animal fats, seek out organic food sources
Eating right doesn't mean you have to give up what's good - Part II

Published January 26, 2002 in the North Island Weekender

Saturated fatty acids are not the cause of modern diseases. In fact they play an important role in the body chemistry. Nathan Pritikin is well known for his low fat diets which are also very high in fresh raw foods, whole grains and no sugar, white flour or processed foods. Weight loss and the lowering of blood pressure and cholesterol while following his program were probably due the other factors and not a low fat diet. However his low fat diet created other deficiency symptoms including low energy, difficult concentration, depression, weight gain, mineral deficiencies and ultimately in his case, cancer. He in fact died from suicide when his diet regime didn’t cure him of leukemia..
Before 1920 coronary heart disease and clogged arteries were a rarity in America. Now heart disease causes 40% of all deaths. During the period from 1910 to 1970, traditional animal fat in the American diet declined from 83% to 62%, butter consumption plummeted from 18 pounds per person per year to 4, and dietary cholesterol intake has only increased by 1%. During this same time period margarine, shortening and refined oil consumption has increased 400% and consumption of sugar and processed foods has increased 60%.
What this means is that saturated fat is good for you! You need it to create healthy cell membranes and healthy bones. It lowers Lp (a), lipoprotein (a), which lowers heart disease risk. It protects the liver from alcohol and other toxins such as Tylenol. It enhances the immune system and is needed for the proper utilization of essential fatty acids such as omega 3 fatty acids. It is the preferred fat around the heart  which the heart draws on in times of stress. Short and medium chain saturated fatty acids have antimicrobial properties and protect you from the harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.
Short chain fatty acids are found mostly in butterfat from cows and goats. Medium chain fatty acids are found in butterfat and tropical oils. Fats from animal and vegetable sources provide concentrated energy, building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones. In addition they are carriers for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
Cholesterol is in fact the body’s natural healing substance to repair damage to blood vessel walls. It is manufactured in the liver and in most human cells. It is needed for to make normal cell walls, and hormones. It is a precursor to Vitamin D needed for healthy bones and the nervous system. It is needed to make bile salts which are vital for the digestion of fats and acts as an antioxidant. It is needed for serotonin metabolism of the brain to prevent depression and suicide and is found in mother’s milk which is important for the formation of the brain and nervous system of babies and children. It maintains a healthy intestinal wall and prevents leaky gut syndrome and other intestinal disorders.
The opinion voiced by many that fat in animal foods concentrates environmental toxins is true for DDT but antibiotics and growth hormones are water soluble and accumulate in the water fraction of milk, meats, vegetables and grains! The solution to environmental poisons is not to eliminate animal fats but to seek organic food sources.
Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that is very stable for cooking at moderate temperatures. Extra virgin olive oil has not been filtered so should be cloudy and a rich golden yellow color indicating that it has been made from fully ripened olives. It is the safest vegetable oil you can use, however it is a longer chain fatty acid so is more likely to contribute to a build up of body fat than short or medium chain fatty acids found in butter or coconut oil.
Avocados are a tropical fruit that contain enzymes as well as 5-22% monounsaturated fat called Oleic acid, the same found in olive oil. It is an absolutely fresh source of oil as well as a full complement of lipase (fat digesting enzymes) and vitamin E, C, carotenoids, B complex, and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium and phosphorus.
The biggest problem with fats are the partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, rancid oils or overheated oils that are then oxidized, such as those found in french fries.
References for this article can be found in Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig.

Dr. Pincott has been practicing naturopathic medicine since 1985 and is currently practicing in Campbell River. She can be reached at (250) 286-3655 or www.DrPincott.com