Getting the Right Kind of Fat – Tips to Improve Your Health

BLOOMINGTON, MINN. — The typical American diet consists of 42 percent fat. Although this statistic may sound shocking, it is similar to the amount of fat Americans were eating about a century ago – but people were healthier then. While the quantity of fat eaten by Americans hasn’t changed in the last 100 years, the type of fat has. Fat has become the scapegoat for poor health in recent years, but there are certain essential fats that must be consumed in order for the body to function properly.

“Americans spend a lot of time worrying about the amount of fat they are eating,” says Paul Ratté, ND, a naturopathic practitioner at Northwestern Health Sciences University’s Woodwinds Natural Care Center in Woodbury, Minn. “Instead, they should pay more attention to the kind of fat they are eating.”

The human body makes and stores fat on its own; however there are two major types of fat the body needs, but doesn’t produce: omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of polyunsaturated fats that have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. “Although some inflammation is necessary to help repair the body, it is important keep it controlled,” says Ratté. “Chronic inflammation is associated with many chronic degenerative conditions including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, arthritis and dementia.”

Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in both plant and animal products. The highest levels can be found in flaxseed or flaxseed oil; cold water fish such as salmon, herring, sardines and trout; and fish oil.

Sources of omega-3 fatty acids in lower levels include walnut oil, hemp seed, pumpkin seeds, canola oil, and soybean oil.

Omega-6 fatty acids, on the other hand, have a pro-inflammatory effect. A moderate amount of inflammation is important because it helps the body repair itself (such as in the case of a muscle sprain).

Omega-6 fatty acids can be found in red meat, pork, dairy products, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as soybean oil, canola oil and corn oil.

Although omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are an essential part of a healthy diet, it is important they remain balanced. “We need a ratio of about five-to-two [omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids],” says Ratté. “But Americans are actually consuming a ratio of about 20-to-1, which may explain the high occurrence of inflammatory disease in our culture.”

In order to fix the imbalance, Ratté says people need to either decrease their intake of omega-6 fatty acids or increase their intake of omega-3 fatty acids. “We can decrease our omega-6 intake by avoiding plain oils and PUFAs such as corn oil and soybean oil,” Ratté says. “The best way to increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids is to take cod liver oil or fish oil in the form of a capsule or in its natural state.”

The American Heart Association recommends taking at least 1,000 milligrams of fish oil each day, which is equal to approximately one tablespoon. Omega-3 fatty acids are also available from non-animal sources such as flaxseed or flaxseed oil. Ratté recommends about three tablespoons of ground flaxseed or two teaspoons of flaxseed oil each day.

“Fats shouldn’t be a problem, unless there’s an imbalance,” says Ratté. “By decreasing our omega-6 intake and increasing our omega-3 intake, inflammation will be brought back into check – hopefully preventing chronic degenerative disease.”

For additional resources on nutrition, go to http://www.nwhealth.edu/nns, a Web site focusing on natural approaches to health and wellness hosted by Northwestern Health Sciences University.