More fats - Omega 3

We will only touch the trans fats in few phrases, just because every specialist knows, and they were actively reduced in the last 30 years. Trans fats strongly raise cholesterol LDL in plasma. They are companies that are pushing clever marketing campaign associating this fats and sugar with active life or relaxation. They are the today's villains, in the same way the tobacco companies agenda worked in the Seventies, as this is the main cause of obesity, one of the roots of multiple health problems.

Omega 3 - or as it is called n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), are the following: linolenic acid, EPA and DHA, also known as fish oil fatty acids. Their properties are different than n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated  fatty acids (MUFA). Omega 3 fatty acids are believed to lower blood triglyceride levels, reducing V - LDL in liver and stimulating V-LDL metabolism in muscle and tissue.

A bit of history: when the Inuit population was checked, they got a low occurrence of cardio-vascular diseases (CVD). Their diet is abundant in fatty fish and fish oil, so we reach the conclusion that this provides protection against different CVD. The following research discovered that this diet can provide a 0% to 40% reduction of CVD risk (again, the individual factor is prevalent) and decrease the risk of fatal CVD, but no effect was noted on heart dysfunctions (fibrillation and arrhythmia) .

In conclusion: we do not have enough data to gather strong evidence, but today we have excellent treatment options, so if you survive the first hearth attack, chances are that the second will never happen (we got statins, blood thinners, beta blockers, blood pressure lowering medicine).

N-3 PUFA, or Omega 3 as they are widely known, are effective for high triglycerides, likely effective for heart disease and possible effective for blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis and weight loss. They have potent anti-inflammatory actions.

Saturated (SFA) and mono/poli unsaturated (MUFA - PUFA) fatty acids

The mainstream idea is that reducing the intake of saturated fat will reduce the coronary heart diseases (CHD). According to the latest researches, it is more important to limit refined carbs and to reduce excess adiposity.

There is a famous research done by Ancel Keys on Japanese men migrating from Japan to Hawaii or California, related to the increased percentage of CHD risk if the calories from SFA increase. If the SFA intake increases, the CHD risk dramatically increase. But the results are still treated as inconclusive, as there are too many variables involved.

The idea behind this is that when the SFA intake increases through dietary intervention, the serum lipids values increase (mostly LDL, but also HDL in a smaller proportion), and the CHD risk prediction also increase.

Few useful conclusions from other researches:

Vegetable oils (poliunsaturated fatty acids - PUFA) replacing SFA from dairy and meat will lower the CHD risk.

Reducing SFA and increasing refined carbs make no change to the CHD risk.

SFA raises LDL (causal factor for CHD and atherosclerosis), replacing SFA with MUFA/PUFA lower LDL levels.

Replacing SFA with PUFA prevents and regresses atherosclerosis in non human primates.



Sources of SFA - dairy foods (butter, cream, cheese, milk), fatty meat, processed meat, salami, sausages, chicken skin, cured meat, palm oil, cooking margarine, coconut oil and milk, fatty snack foods, deep fried, cakes, biscuits, pastries.

Sources of PUFA - Omega3/Omega6 healthy fats - soy bean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, walnuts, tofu, canola, sunflower and flax seeds, fish (salmon, tuna, trout, herring, mackerel).

Sources of MUFA - nuts, avocado, canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, peanut butter.