Fats have been a dirty four letter word for far too long….
Let’s dive in to this dirty-greasy subject.
Cheat sheet:
LDL- Low Density Lipoproteins: Essential in the correct amount, they ferry cholesterol to where it is needed in the body, think of it as a delivery truck. However, if there is an overabundance it leads to plaque in the walls of our arteries and high fat in our blood.
Triglyceride: Crucial for proper functioning, in correct amounts. The most common fat delivery vehicle in the body! We need em’ just not too many!
HDL- High Density Lipoproteins: Necessary in the correct amount, we want more of these than LDL & Triglycerides. This is the trash/recycle /street sweeper truck, it cleans excess fat and cholesterol from our blood stream, the walls of our arteries, and it even steals it from LDL!
Myth 1:
Fat is bad, Replace it with wholesome grains
So we replaced fats in our diet with whole grain carbs, not only has this increased our caloric consumption it has added to waist lines and we have more heart conditions than ever.
Fact 1:
Did you know that people who eat the most sugar and high glycemic carbohydrates, have the highest levels of blood fat?
Sadly its true, what we feed our liver determines what it produces: LDL, Triglycerides or HDL.
Sugary, high glycemic carbohydrates are processed in our livers and produce high levels of LDL the “bad” cholesterol, and elevate our Triglycerides.
This is a disastrous combination high LDL and Triglycerides in your blood serum, plaque build up leads to heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. [1]
Myth 2:
A diet low in cholesterol & Fat was the answer to reducing cardiovascular disease, heart attack and Stroke.
According to Harvard University
“The biggest influence on blood cholesterol level is the mix of fats and carbohydrates in your diet—not the amount of cholesterol you eat from food…for most people dietary cholesterol is not as problematic as once believed.”
Fact 2:
Our bodies use cholesterol is a construction material in our bodies: it build cell walls & cell membranes, it makes the hormones testosterone and estrogen, as well as a starting block for vitamin D.
So go ahead eat golden grass-fed egg yolks, steaks, and chicken skin. They are loaded with resources our bodies need to thrive. No need to feel guilty about eating close to the earth.
Myth 3:
Grains are heart healthy…carbs are good for reducing CDV…
I see you cereal….
We as western culture have completely shifted our eating habits towards highly processed seed oils and ultra processed grains
Truth 3:
Not all grains are created equal, Not All grains are the enemy.
Ultra Processing, dousing in chemicals and Genetically engineering foods to withstand chemical fumigation is the ENEMY.
Whole grains are delicious and have nutrient density. [4]
However, their commercial counterparts that have been processed into forms that spike our blood sugar, and create insulin dependency. They elevate our LDL’s & Triglycerides, as well as increasing our risk for Type 2 Diabetes. [5]
I hope this has given you some food for thought if you have been shy about lard, tallow, egg yolks, fatty steaks, and lean lean chicken and beef. Our bodies crave and need good clean sources of fat, it is necessary to build, repair, and regulate hormones.
Love from your farmers,
Verdant Acres
[1] https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/sugar-and-cholesterol
[2]https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/cholesterol/
[3] https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-fats-bad-and-good
[4]https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/whole-grains/
[5]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16467234/
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