Saturated fat

[Sunnysky]

I am still confused about the advice regarding eating fats. The low carb course advised increasing healthy fats and says these include the fat on meat and other saturated fats. However the advice in the pre-diabetes cookbook linked to on this site says that these should be cut out to lose weight. Not sure where to go from here.

 

[Guzzler]

The advice to avoid sat fats is usually linked to the fear of cholesterol. If you are one who worries about cholesterol levels then choose fats like avocado, olives and olive oil. It is a very personal choice. For me, sat fats are absolutely great but then I couldn't care a jot for cholesterol levels.

 

[CherryAA]

I am still confused about the advice regarding eating fats. The low carb course advised increasing healthy fats and says these include the fat on meat and other saturated fats. However the advice in the pre-diabetes cookbook linked to on this site says that these should be cut out to lose weight. Not sure where to go from here.

If I were you I would go with the low carb course. I am losing lots of weight eating a ton of saturated fats. it is not for everyone but you will find that out as you try it, in terms of how you feel after eating.

Its hard to find cook books that properly reflect the thinking on this quite simply because its been vilified for so long that the authors can't bring themselves to embrace it. if you want a good cookbook - try The Real Meal Revolution - Tim Noakes

 

[ziggy_w]

Hi @Sunnysky,

Actually, both pieces of advice are not as contradictory as it appears on the surface.

Generally, the advice on low carb is to eat as much healty fat (butter, olive oil, nut oils, avocado oil and fat contained in food) until you are satisfied. However, when you want to lose weight, many recommend to cut down on added fat (and eat just the fats that naturally occur in food) and let your body burn its own fat reserves.

As @CherryAA correctly points out, some of us have no trouble burning our own fat, even if adding extra fats to our diet. So, I suggest to see if you lose weight without worrying too much about added fats. If this doesn't work, you can still reduce the number of calories from fats.

 

[GrantGam]

If I were you I would go with the low carb course. I am losing lots of weight eating a ton of saturated fats.

If that is because you've knocked out carbs as a macro - then your weight loss is likely due to calorie restriction.

What you've said is like me saying "I've lost loads of weight by stopping drinking lager and smoking more cigarettes".

Saturated fats can raise LDL and be harmful - I would advise the OP to exercise caution should they consider raising saturated fats.

 

[Kristin251]

I don't eat a lot of animal fat. I eat more plant / mono fats like avocado everyday, olive oil, mayo and some nuts and seeds.

I do eat chicken thighs but skinless boneless with no additional fat. I eat lean lamb chops and beef steaks but cut off visible fat. I don't eat chicken skin, bacon, gobs of butter or dairy except one ounce of cheese.

I don't need to lose weight but too much animal fat will make me gain. I am very low carb ( 20 or less) but I only eat moderate fat even though it comprises about 75-80% of my diet. Mostly in an avocado a day and some olive oil/ mayo and an ounce or so of macadamia nuts or pecans. I keep my protein to the recommended guidelines of .8-1g per kg LEAN bicycle mass per day. For me that's about 5 oz divided through the day.

I do find animal fat to make me more insulin resistant than mono fats.

 

[CherryAA]

If that is because you've knocked out carbs as a macro - then your weight loss is likely due to calorie restriction.

What you've said is like me saying "I've lost loads of weight by stopping drinking lager and smoking more cigarettes".

Saturated fats can raise LDL and be harmful - I would advise the OP to exercise caution should they consider raising saturated fats.

NOPE - not like that at all -instead moving from a real foods LCHF diet low in saturated fats to one high in saturated fats.

In fact at present its seems its might not even be much about calorie restriction at all given just how much I have been eating. I will be a few days before I know if its repeatable in terms of new weight loss to continue eating the current 1600 odd calories per day I am , but even if I do need to restrict calories more , but I'm clear that so far by deliberately targeting Sat fats, improved weight loss, HDL HDL /LDL ratios.Hba1C, Ast, Alt, GGT, and Creatinine over a three month period.

I also disagree with the notion that sat fats raising LDL is necessarily harmful. Saturated fat raises both LDL and HDL, as long as they remain in good ratios the higher the better, higher numbers to total cholesterol being clearly protective a one ages, as long as triglycerides are kept low.
Saturated fats create precisely those conditions.

 

[GrantGam]

Give me a shout when you meet your target weight for your height @CherryAA. I love nothing more than being proved wrong.

 

[CherryAA]

Give me a shout when you meet your target weight for your height @CherryAA. I love nothing more than being proved wrong.

Well I'm not too sure that's ever going to happen. Not least because I don't want to be "target weight " - evidence suggests that being metabolically healthy coupled with a BMI of about 27 is probably optimal at my advanced age ! If that actually happens via whatever mechanism I might get there , rest assured EVERYONE will know .In the meantime one large meal a day designed to give me the optimum nutrient intake has taken me further in a week than I've managed in 6 months so I will take that!

 

[Alexandra100]

I don't eat a lot of animal fat. I eat more plant / mono fats like avocado everyday, olive oil, mayo and some nuts and seeds.

I do eat chicken thighs but skinless boneless with no additional fat. I eat lean lamb chops and beef steaks but cut off visible fat. I don't eat chicken skin, bacon, gobs of butter or dairy except one ounce of cheese.

I don't need to lose weight but too much animal fat will make me gain. I am very low carb ( 20 or less) but I only eat moderate fat even though it comprises about 75-80% of my diet. Mostly in an avocado a day and some olive oil/ mayo and an ounce or so of macadamia nuts or pecans. I keep my protein to the recommended guidelines of .8-1g per kg LEAN bicycle mass per day. For me that's about 5 oz divided through the day.

I do find animal fat to make me more insulin resistant than mono fats.

Kristin, this is very useful, thanks.

 

[GrantGam]

Well I'm not too sure that's ever going to happen. Not least because I don't want to be "target weight"

Well good luck going forward in your diet to bring to you to within an overweight weight range. I wish you all the best in doing so

 

[Alexandra100]

I am still confused about the advice regarding eating fats. The low carb course advised increasing healthy fats and says these include the fat on meat and other saturated fats. However the advice in the pre-diabetes cookbook linked to on this site says that these should be cut out to lose weight. Not sure where to go from here.

Opinion on whether saturated fats are good / bad to eat is sharply divided. However, there is consensus (I think) that trans fats are very very bad.

 

[Kristin251]

Kristin, this is very useful, thanks.

Sure. I should also say that my diet is 75/80% fat but I eat moderat fats and not loads of protein so it's naturally lower in saturated fats. I eat an avocado a day which is my main fat, an ounce of nuts, an ounce of cheese and olive oil or mayo on my proteins. I eat small meals as well. Too much oil or heavy fats ( animal) clog my digestion and sit like a rock. I'm full for hours.

To add. I just had my cholesterol done and it's stellar. HDL 89. I got a written report with hand written ' excellent ' on my cholesterol. I credit the avocado as that's about all I've changed in my diet. When I didn't eat it and was eating more protein and animal fat my HDL was still high but so was my ldl and total.

 

[CherryAA]

Sure. I should also say that my diet is 75/80% fat but I eat moderat fats and not loads of protein so it's naturally lower in saturated fats. I eat an avocado a day which is my main fat, an ounce of nuts, an ounce of cheese and olive oil or mayo on my proteins. I eat small meals as well. Too much oil or heavy fats ( animal) clog my digestion and sit like a rock. I'm full for hours.

To add. I just had my cholesterol done and it's stellar. HDL 89. I got a written report with hand written ' excellent ' on my cholesterol. I credit the avocado as that's about all I've changed in my diet. When I didn't eat it and was eating more protein and animal fat my HDL was still high but so was my ldl and total.

Going to the doctors, rather reminds me of the school report days ) G or merely good being a tad disappointing

 

[librarising]

Opinion on whether saturated fats are good / bad to eat is sharply divided. However, there is consensus (I think) that trans fats are very very bad.

I find a number of cardiologists coming out against the fear of saturated fat. If it works for younger, more modern medical specialists that's good enough for me.
"The risk from saturated fat in foods such as butter, cakes and fatty meat is being overstated and demonised, according to a cardiologist. Dr Aseem Malhotra said there was too much focus on the fat with other factors such as sugar often overlooked.It is time to “bust the myth of the role of saturated fat in heart disease”, "

I love a bit of myth-busting, me.
Geoff

 

[Kristin251]

Going to the doctors, rather reminds me of the school report days ) G or merely good being a tad disappointing

I don't think I've ever in my life gotten a written EXCELLENT on anything during my school years.

 

[Kristin251]

I find a number of cardiologists coming out against the fear of saturated fat. If it works for younger, more modern medical specialists that's good enough for me.
"The risk from saturated fat in foods such as butter, cakes and fatty meat is being overstated and demonised, according to a cardiologist. Dr Aseem Malhotra said there was too much focus on the fat with other factors such as sugar often overlooked.It is time to “bust the myth of the role of saturated fat in heart disease”, "

I love a bit of myth-busting, me.
Geoff

I agree SUGAR is far worse than saturated fats. I'm not afraid of them but they do tend to make me insulin resistant. At least fatty burgers, chicken skin, bacon and fatty sausages. . Not so much my small cheese and not sure about butter. I'll be testing that with pleasure!

 

[serenity648]

I am still confused about the advice regarding eating fats. The low carb course advised increasing healthy fats and says these include the fat on meat and other saturated fats. However the advice in the pre-diabetes cookbook linked to on this site says that these should be cut out to lose weight. Not sure where to go from here.

What i take it as meaning is to increase the proportion of healthy fats to unhealthy ones.

So I dont eat more fat, but the fat I eat is healthy fats like olive oil, butter, the fat in whole milk and full fat cheese and yoghurt. I dont eat extra fat. But I have a lot of weight to lose, so perhaps that makes a difference in my understanding of it?

 

[Kristin251]

What i take it as meaning is to increase the proportion of healthy fats to unhealthy ones.

So I dont eat more fat, but the fat I eat is healthy fats like olive oil, butter, the fat in whole milk and full fat cheese and yoghurt. I dont eat extra fat. But I have a lot of weight to lose, so perhaps that makes a difference in my understanding of it?

That's how I take it too. Just replacing carb calories with healthy fats. Once said, make a normal meal and push the carbs off ( better yet, just don't make them)
If someone has body fat it's better to not eat loads of dietary fat giving the body the ability to tap into its own fat stores. No need to starve though. If I don't have enough fat I will be hungry shortly but a wedge of avocado at all meals does the trick for me. Keeping carbs very low as well as they make me very hungry especially in the early part of the day. Better with evening meal for me. A FEW nuts if i get the munchies or a little hungry between meals takes the edge off.
I could never digest food swimming in bacon grease and cream etc.

 

[Guzzler]

I would hazard a guess that most of us would agree that the ubiquitous mass produced, cooking oils should be avoided if at all possible. I have switched to cooking with cold pressed rape seed oil, olive oil, butter, lard, suet and goose/duck fat. Still reading up on the rape seed oil, though.