Dietary fat is an essential component of a healthy diet. Yep, it’s true! For decades we have been taught that fat is “bad”. Dietary fat is often described as a driver for the development of obesity, heart disease, and cancer. What we often don’t see reported is that a balance between different types of fat and quality makes all the difference.
It may come as a surprise to learn that dietary fats are necessary for many important processes in the human body. Here are a few examples of how dietary fat is put to work in the body:
- Slows gastric emptying causing us to feel full and satiated.
- Aids in the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K.
- Dietary fat in the form of cholesterol is the basic building block for hormones.
- Provides two essential fatty acids, linoleic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid.
- Dietary fat breaks down into fatty acids, an integral component of every cell membrane in our body.
- Plays a starring role in modulating an immune response, specifically regarding pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory processes.
So yeah, including fat in your diet is kind of a big deal.
What is dietary fat? Dietary fat is one of three macronutrients. Macronutrients are considered essential nutrients meaning the body is unable to make them or unable to make enough of them so we must get them from the food that we eat. Macronutrients are used for energy and to build and repair the body’s structure. The other two macronutrients are carbohydrates and protein.
All fats are a combination of saturated and unsaturated fats. Fats are categorized according to which of the two types it contains a greater quantity. Unsaturated fats may be further categorized as monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Here’s a comparison of the different types of fat:
When it comes to choosing fats, quality matters. Choose fats from organic, pasture-raised animal sources, and organic, cold-pressed plant varieties, like the options listed above. The manufacturing process greatly influences the quality of the fat. One giveaway that a fat is not of an appropriate quality is that it is liquid and packaged in a clear bottle allowing it to be exposed to light. Steer clear of these as the manufacturing method most likely involves high heat and possibly bleaching and deodorizing steps. Gross, right?! The result of this intense process bears little resemblance to minimally processed varieties. Remember the important role fatty acids play in the composition of every cell membrane in our body among other vital functions and ask yourself what kind of fat you want to consume knowing it will be used to build and repair your body.
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What is the Dietary Fat/Immune System Connection?
We reviewed what dietary fat is, how to use and store it safely, and how to know we are getting a quality source. So how does all this connect to how our immune system functions? Buckle up, here comes some science!
Inflammation is a necessary part of the body’s healing processes and is commonly observed as redness, swelling, heat, and pain. When our pro-inflammatory response is working well it responds appropriately to injury or infection and then anti-inflames when the injury or infection has resolved.
Our digestive process breaks dietary fat down into fatty acids which are used to form prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are hormone-like molecules found in nearly all body tissues and fluids. Prostaglandins serve several functions but may be most well-known for their role of signaling pro-inflammation and anti-inflammation as part of the immune response.
There are three types of prostaglandins, each dependent on a balance of different types of fatty acids for formation:
- PG1 – is derived from omega-6 fatty acids and signals an anti-inflammatory response;
- PG2 – is derived from saturated fatty acids and signals a pro-inflammatory response;
- PG3 – is derived from omega-3 fatty acids and signals an anti-inflammatory response.
How are prostaglandins produced within the body?
Fat consumed in the diet and broken down into fatty acids require several cofactors to create prostaglandins. Cofactors include:
- Proper digestive function;
- Proper liver function; and
- Enzymes (including Delta-6-Desaturase) and their corresponding cofactors: amino acids, vitamin B6, magnesium, and zinc.
Vitamins E, C, B3, B6, magnesium, and zinc stimulate the production of PG1 and PG3, the anti-inflammatory signaling prostaglandins. PG2, the pro-inflammatory prostaglandin, is stimulated by vitamins E (low dose), C, B3, B6, and zinc. When digestion functions properly, and the cofactors and fatty acids are in balance, a cascade of conversions occurs to create prostaglandins.
A problem that derails the inflammatory process is rooted in the modern diet which supplies the body with an unbalanced variety of fatty acids and insufficient nutrient cofactors. This sets the stage for chronic inflammation. The modern diet has evolved to include fewer whole foods and more processed convenience foods. Processed foods are often high in carbohydrates and omega-6 derived from vegetable and seed oils, such as corn, safflower, sunflower, and canola. It is believed that before processed foods became readily available, we consumed nearly equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Today, the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is 20:1 or even higher!
The transition away from eating whole foods in favor of manufactured food products in the form of processed convenience and fast foods is a leading contributor to the disproportionate consumption of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. This trend is also a factor in the rise of blood sugar dysregulation (which presents as metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or obesity). When blood sugar dysregulation is combined with a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, the anti-inflammatory PG1 formation process is disrupted by excess insulin resulting in the creation of PG2 supporting the pro-inflammatory process. The combination of elevated omega-6 consumption, dysregulated blood sugar, and the resulting chronic inflammation increases the opportunity to damage healthy cells, tissues, and organs. This damage becomes the gateway for the development of heart disease, cancer, dementia-related diseases, and autoimmune diseases.
These inflammation-driven diseases do not occur overnight. They typically develop after years or decades of damage caused by building and repairing our bodies with less-than-ideal nutrients (aka “junk foods”). The foods you choose to fuel and nourish your body are a powerful tool for reducing systemic inflammation, reducing symptoms associated with disease, and slowing or in some cases halting disease progress.
Consider taking a proactive approach to inflammation management:
- Bring omega-6 and omega-3 consumption closer to 1:1:
- Lower omega-6 intake – avoid processed foods (e.g. chips, commercially prepared baked goods, crackers, breakfast cereals, and deep-fried foods); Reduce consumption of processed convenience and fast foods such as frozen, heat & eat type foods and anything that comes from a fast food restaurant;
- Increase omega-3 intake – increase walnut and hemp oil, fatty fish such as wild-caught salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, oysters, and anchovies. There are also good supplement options. Contact us for more information.
- Consult a nutrition professional to confirm your diet includes adequate prostaglandin formation cofactors.
- Assess your digestive function to identify areas in need of support. Sign up for our monthly newsletter and receive a FREE copy of our Digestive Health Self-Assessment and schedule a FREE 20-minute consultation to discuss your results. Also, check out our previous post “Decode Your Digestion: The Importance of Monitoring Your Poop” for more insight into how your digestion should work.
It all comes down to balance and quality. The basis for a healthy and robust immune system is built upon a foundation of quality building blocks in the form of a balanced variety of dietary fats supported by adequate nutrient cofactors and an optimally functioning digestive system.
When you find yourself reaching for processed or fast food, consider whether it is of a quality you want your body to be built from or whether it will contribute to derailing your body’s natural healing process. That’s not to say you cannot enjoy French fries from time to time but rather to encourage you to make the best decision for your health most of the time.
Thinking About Making Some Healthy Changes But Don’t Know Where To Start?
Our RESTART® Program is a great way to kickstart your health journey! Whether you are starting from scratch or just need some support to get back on track, RESTART® can provide you with the education, guidance, and support you need to reach your health goals! We offer several sessions of our 5-week, online, small group program throughout the year. Click here to learn more about the RESTART® Program, register for current classes or contact us to join the waitlist to be notified when new sessions are scheduled.
If private, individual-focused support is your preference we also share our whole-food anti-inflammatory way of eating approach combined with lifestyle-related tools via one-on-one appointments. Learn more about our process here.
Sources:
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Mercola, J., & D’Adamo, C. R. (2023). Linoleic Acid: A Narrative Review of the Effects of Increased Intake in the Standard American Diet and Associations with Chronic Disease. Nutrients, 15(14), 3129. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15143129
Lopes, K. L. S., Figueiredo, N., Kattah, F. M., Lima, G. C., Oliveira, E. S., Horst, M. A., Oyama, L. M., Dâmaso, A. R., Whitton, R. G. M., de Souza Abreu, V., Duarte, A. C. S., Pimentel, G. D., & Corgosinho, F. C. (2023). The degree of food processing can influence serum fatty acid and lipid profiles in women with severe obesity. Frontiers in nutrition, 10, 1046710. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2023.1046710
Simopoulos A. P. (2016). An Increase in the Omega-6/Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratio Increases the Risk for Obesity. Nutrients, 8(3), 128. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8030128
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Gharby S. (2022). Refining Vegetable Oils: Chemical and Physical Refining. The Scientific World Journal, 2022, 6627013. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/6627013