The Fallout From The Fear of Fat

For decades now, fat and cholesterol have been considered health food villains and largely demonized in the American diet. Since the latter part of the 20th century, we’ve been told by doctors, dietitians, and even the U.S. government, that fat would clog our arteries, cause weight gain, and even kill us with heart attacks. No wonder so many have chosen to drastically reduce the fat in their diets!

This belief remains mostly intact, but fortunately, its days are numbered as science has begun to see the light and uncover the real truth about fat. One 2014 study (1) in the medical journal Neurology found that, contrary to popular belief, there might actually be no association between high total cholesterol and stroke risk. In fact, other research has shown (2) that low cholesterol may actually increase the likelihood of death from all causes. At the same time, some of the many side effects of statins – cholesterol-lowering drugs – include memory loss and brain dysfunction.

The truth is that as the fattiest organ in your body, your brain is composed of 60% (3) fat, and as much as 25% (4) of your body’s cholesterol is found in the brain. So why would we deprive our brains of the very nutrient that it's made of?

Consuming cholesterol and fat is critical to the health and function of the brain. As it turns out, for all our good intentions, as a society we have been starving our brains of their basic building blocks.

What’s The Best Brain Fuel: Sugar or Fat?

Today, the standard Western diet centers around many forms of sugar. From the refined carbohydrates that mostly make up junk foods (from fast food, cookies, and candy) to breads, pastas, fruit, and juices, sugar makes up most of what we’re eating, and since it’s fat-free, somehow this dietary habit has gotten a pass.

Many of us were taught that the brain runs on glucose, so all these simple carbs were necessary to fuel the brain. But is sugar really the best form of energy for your brain? One 2013 study (5) found that higher blood sugars in non-diabetics decreased function in areas of the brain typically affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This and similar research contribute to why AD is now often referred to in the medical literature as “type 3 diabetes.”

On the other hand, a ketogenic diet – where fat, not sugar, is the primary source of energy – has been shown (6) to do some remarkable things for brain health. Healthy fats are a slow, sustainable form of energy, unlike the sugary roller coaster many find themselves on when their diets are primarily carb-based. If you look at the human being from infancy, you can see that biology knows best: as babies, we were all born relying on fat in the form of high-fat breast milk for brain development (7) and energy.

Bottom line: Brains that work optimally require a lot of energy, and from a biology (3) and evolutionary (8) perspective, the most sustainable form of energy for optimal brain health is good fats.

What Now? 3 Ways to Better Your Brain Health

1. Ask your doctor about labs

There are many great lab tests that I recommend to help determine if your brain is healthy or not. For example, look into having homocysteine and fasting insulin tests done. These labs can give you insight into your specific case, as well as where to go from there.

2. Feed your brain good fat

Changing the way you view fat and cholesterol can be overwhelming, especially if you’ve spent years of your life avoiding them. Start by educating yourself on the best sources of fats for your brain, including which fats are most effective at decreasing inflammation, which is linked to just about every brain problem.

For example, arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids are two forms of fat that play an important role (9) in brain health. The most bioavailable sources for these brain foods are grass-fed meats and wild-caught fish. Coconut oil is also a wonderful plant-based source for your brain: MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) found in coconut oil has been shown (10) to improve cognitive function. Monounsaturated fats like extra virgin olive oil and avocados are also beneficial to your brain.

Be sure to start adding in fat slowly. After years of low-fat diets, it’ll take your system a while to adjust to eating healthy fats.

3. Consider personalized functional medicine care

Functional medicine practitioners know that what works for one person may not work for another, but in general, adding in more healthy fats is a wise move. But how much is right for you? The ideal ratio of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins should be determined on an individual basis. Some people don’t do well on ketogenic diets, for example, and targeted brain natural medicines depend on your unique needs. A functional medicine practitioner can help you figure it out. Check out our health consultation to get started with functional medicine.

The Healthiest Fat Choices

Use saturated fat for high heat cooking.

These fats can tolerate higher heat temperatures without becoming oxidized. Buy organic, unrefined forms, from grass-fed sources if animal based, whenever possible:

• Coconut oil
• Palm oil
• Animal fat (from beef, lamb, chicken, or pork)
• Butter
• Ghee

Use unsaturated fat for dressings and dips.

Unsaturated fats can be easily damaged and oxidized when heated, but are supremely healthy in their organic, extra virgin, cold-pressed form:

• Avocado oil
• Macadamia nut oil
• Olive oil
• Sesame oil
• Walnut oil

Healthful whole food fats:

Aside from added fats, some whole foods are naturally high in fat, and these can be excellent additions to your diet when they are organic and come from pasture-raised or grass-fed sources:

• Whole eggs
• Higher fat meat like beef and dark-meat poultry
• Seafood, like shellfish and cold-water fatty fish
• Full-fat dairy products, especially raw or fermented
• Raw nuts and seeds

Never choose these:

I never recommend eating industrially produced fats and refined seed oils due to their highly processed and highly inflammatory nature. These are never good choices in any circumstance, and will also oxidize easily with light, air, or heat exposure:

• Margarine or “buttery spreads”
• Canola oil
• Corn oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Rice bran oil
• Safflower oil
• Soybean oil
• Sunflower oil
• Vegetable oil
• Anything that has the term “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredients

Bottom line? Stop fearing fat! If you make smart choices, fat can help you feel great and prime your hormones and brain for optimal functioning.

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