Fat Makes You Fat - Myth ot Fact?

I don’t know where certain ideas start but that fat makes you fat is not a proven fact.  It seems that we are thrown from one extreme to another, especially regarding to what to eat. Most of these suggestions come from manufacturers which advertise for new products, many of them full of toxins and additives which are causing stress to our bodies, like hydrogenation of liquid oils, colorings, artificial sweeteners and other flavorings.  The fact with low-fat foods is that the manufacturers have to add sugar or other flavorings to baked goods and other prepared foods in order for them to be tasteful.  It is therefore the extra carbohydrates which make us fat.

First of all it is not fat that makes us fat but calories.  Fat contains more than twice as many calories per ounce as carbohydrates and protein; therefore making it an efficient source of energy.

Unfortunately, most low-fat products are then laden with sugar, MSG (monosodium-glutamate) or other chemical flavors.  Since we started the low-fat craze in this country about 30 years ago, obesity has become a plague, especially among children. 

Are there really Good Fats and Bad Fats?

Many divide the fats into good and bad fats with unsaturated fats being labeled good and saturated fats being bad.  A better way to look at fats is to understand where they came from and what their chemical structure is.  Our dietary fats come in form of triglycerides, each of them containing three fatty acid chains. 

There are short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs),
and long chain fatty acids (LCFAs).  The length of these fatty acids is very important because of the way our bodies metabolize these FAs. While most of the animal fats are LCFAs, Coconut oil is made of MCFAs.  The reason some classify LCFAs as bad is that they can lead to weight gain, raise cholesterol and cause cardio-vascular disease.

Why are fats necessary for our diet?

The basic fact is that we need fats in order to absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat.  The avoidance of fat in our diet is contributing to some degenerative diseases.

Some fats are called essential fatty acids that humans and animals must ingest because they are required for good health.

Why are Medium Chain Tryglycerides (MCT) more beneficial to us?
MCTs resemble carbohydrates more than they do fats.  They are also more water soluble. 

The benefit of MCFAs is that they don’t need any bile or enzymes for digestion.  Rather they go straight to the liver and can be used for immediate energy.

Why are Trans Fats so Bad?

The worst transgression in our food production today is the making of trans fats.  Through a method of hydrogenation liquid oils are made into solids in order to preserve them and to use them in all kinds of processed food such as margarine, baked goods, crackers, fried foods, and most commercially packaged foods.

Dr. Bruce Fife explains the nature of fats and oils in his book The Coconut Oil Miracle.  He mentions that fats are in general solid while oils are liquid (at a certain temperature).

Here is a video by Dr. Bruce Fife explaining the The Healing Miracles Coconut Oil

I hope that I could shed some light on a very complex and controversial subject of nutrition.  Rather than explaining the profound chemistry in all details I hope that you can follow the links and take the detailed information from there.  Since I learned about the benefits of coconut oil I am in love with this fat.  I put it on all my foods and even add more after I have cooked eggs or refried rice, etc.  Coconut oil doesn’t give this oily feeling afterwards but rather makes the cooked food moist and tasty.  I also use it on my skin and had good result with some remaining warts and scars from the removal of them.  I will use coconut oil for the rest of my life.