Saturated Fats

Question: saturated fats? i know saturated fat is bad for you but what exaclly does it do to your body?

Answer: It builds a wall around your blood vessles and if a peice of the plaque that builds up from the saturated fats get clogged in your vessile, then you risk heart attack and stroke.

Question: Have you ever tried eating saturated fats to resolve sexual or reproductive issues? Saturated fats are essential for the production of hormones - inclusive of sex hormones. Many man are now coming down with prostate problems or erectile dysfunction, or premature ejaculation problems. Could the reduction of saturated fats in their diet be a contributing factor? Has anyone ever eat saturated fats in order to resolve this problem? Or if you had this problem, would you eat saturated fats to resolve it? Give reason for your answer. Have you ever heard of anyone who eats saturated fats to resolve such a problem? Do you think saturated fats can resolve a problem of this nature? Physicians are not certain exactly why the enlarging of prostate occurs, but it is thought that it may be due to an excess amount of certain hormones in the body. Could it not then be concluded that the elevation of estrogen and these other hormones are as a result of reduced production of testosterone? Why not conclude that a hormone imbalance is caused as a result of scarce material for production? Saturated fats are necessary for hormone production. Could limited saturated fats be one factor? Some ref.: http://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/enlarged-prostate/ http://www.prematureejaculation.co.in/articles/3/male-hormone-imbalance/ http://www.pe-information.com/ http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/import_sat_fat.html

Answer: I don't personally know of anyone who's found improvement of hormone profiles from eating more saturated fat, but that solution makes sense. I have read accounts of it in Dr. Schwarzbein's book "The Schwarzbein Principle" (the first in the series), but she doesn't cite how much the hormones improved- just the resolution of symptoms of low estrogen/progesterone. I also recall reading an account of a 30-something doctor who got minimal sleep, lifted weights, & would avoid eating fat as much as possible. He had total testosterone of less than 200 ng/dL- very low for a man (below the threshold that necessitates testosterone replacement therapy & equivalent to the level of an unhealthy 85 year old man). Lifting weights generally raises testosterone (assuming adequate rest), but in his case, it was just another hormone-lowering stress, in conjunction with sleep deprivation & a low fat diet. Prostate problems probably owe more due to elevated estradiol/estrogen from lifestyle (excessive alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity, high bodyfat converting excessive testosterone to estradiol, etc.). See reference 20 from the following article: (http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2008/nov2008_Dangers-of-Excess-Estrogen-in-the-Aging-Male_01.htm ). I'm not sure if saturated fat itself makes the difference, or if cholesterol (which happens to abound in saturated fat dense foods) would be more important, since steroid hormones are made from cholesterol. In any event, both are necessary for proper hormone production. Those who would see the most benefit would be those who routinely avoid adequate fat & cholesterol intake. Premature ejaculation can have a variety of causes (performance anxiety, weak pc/bc muscles) as can erectile dysfunction (the causes mentioned plus cardiovascular problems, venous leakage, etc.). Many of these causes may be unrelated to hormones, at least not directly related to them. However, excessive norepinephrine (a hormone & neurotransmitter) can cause both, as it's involved in the experience of ejaculation & vasoconstriction, which opposes the vasocongestion necessary for obtaining/keeping an erection. High stress hormones like norepinephrine & cortisol can cause a cascade of hormonal imbalance. The body prioritizes cortisol above other steroid hormones, as one cannot survive without it. In a high stress condition like malnutrition, other steroid hormones would probably get short shrift.

Question: What is more important to watch - calories or saturated fats? Hi there. I keep track of what i eat every day but had a thought what is more important to watch, the calories intake or saturated fats? Also which one of those makes you put on fat quicker if you were to have a lot of it? thanks.

Answer: They both are important to watch. Too many of either will cause negative health effects. Both need to be eaten in moderation. You should have only a certain amount of calories depending on your height and weight. You should also stay under 20g of saturated fat per day. Both need to be taken into consideration.

Question: what is the difference between saturated fats and cholesterol? which is healthier: a) 12% Saturated Fats and 0% cholestrol? or b) 0% staurated fats and 12% cholestrol? I get confused when i read the nutrition level on a food's packaging.

Answer: To my opinion, the label must write: 0%cholesterol and 0%saturated fats, they both carry danger of heart disease or other high fat problems. Saturated fats are a kind of fat compound of triglycerides and fatty acids radicals; cholesterol is another type of fat (not of triglycerides).

Question: What is your opinion on a tax on saturated fats? I have a question to ask my fellow Canadians, but anyone else can voice their opinion. If the government taxed saturated fats, what would your opinion be? What are the pros and cons?

Answer: I don`t think we should tax saturated fats, we should ban hydrogenated oils.

Question: Do I lose benefits of lower saturated fats and lower cholesterol if I have high sodium intake? Over the past 6 months, I have lowered my intake of saturated fats and cholesterol. However, it's VERY VERY VERY hard to lower my sodium intake. If I have lowered my saturated fats and my cholesterol (which I know has an over all effect on blood pressure) do I lose the benefits if my sodium intake is high (4000mg+ daily average?

Answer: Hi SstrangeE, No, you do not lose the benefits of a lower saturated fat and cholesterol intake even though your sodium intake remains high. However, the effect on blood pressure will be greater if you are able to reduce your sodium intake as well. All the best, Lisa Nelson RD 7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure - http://www.lisanelsonrd.com/naturalwaystolowerbloodpressure.html

Question: Is it cause saturated fats are a solid that they cause more issues in cardiovascular diseases? I'm assuming that because saturated fats are more of a solid having this clog, bang, and hit around in the blood and circulatory system causes issues or diseases correct?

Answer: Yes. That is actually impressive, most people don't draw that conclusion. Most of the time people don't actually think about what the "saturated" part of saturated fat means. Saturated fats have all single bonds between its carbon atoms, as a result all the carbons are bonded with the most hydrogen atoms possible. Since there is so much in the lipid chains they are basically straight and can be packed very closely which makes the fat solid at room temperature (it has a high melting point). Unsaturated fat have at least one double bond in the chain of carbon as a result it is kinked and not straight like saturated fat. Since it has less hydrogen the molecule has weaker intermolecular forces meaning it does not have as much "strength" to be solid. Not the best example but here is how you can think of the two: Saturated Fat: Carbon chain: -C-C-C-C-C-C-C- On both sids of the carbon would be a hydrogen atom: H H H H H C-C-C-C-C H H H H H That looks very sturdy and stackable. Unsaturated Fat: H H H H H C-C-C=C-C H H H However the chain would bend down a bit after that double bond.

Question: What foods and drinks contains protein BUT have low saturated fats? What foods and drinks contain protein, BUT doesn't have alot of saturated fats?

Answer: tuna, salmon, chicken, soy, beans, rice

Question: Are there any natural foodstuffs that contain zero saturated fats ? I have been looking for nutritious foods that contain fibre , are quite filling , and that have zero saturated fats and preferably low in sugars , any suggestions ?

Answer: There is a brand new natural product on my website that will help you: Muscle Up.

Question: On a nutrition facts label is "total fat" the sum of saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats? I ask this because sometimes the different fat totals sum up to the total fat amount. Also, for nuts that are supposed to be good for my heart, I don't see the unsaturated fats listed on the label so I'm wondering if I'm supposed to assume the difference between total fat and saturated fat is all the unsaturated fat

Answer: as far as i know, it's the sum of saturated and all unsaturated fats. the unsaturated fats include the mono unsaturated and the poly unsaturated. trans fats are never recorded, I think.

Question: What are the saturated fats that are present in boys with ALD? What are the saturated fats that are present in boys with ALD?

Answer: ALD is a progressive neurologic disorder which results from the destruction of myelin caused by the deposition of saturated very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) in the brain, especiallylignoceric acid (C24) & cerotic acid (C26). http://www.myelin.org/attachments/contentmanagers/11/scishow.swf http://primeinc.org/casestudies/physician/study/265/Is_Lorenzo%92s_Oil_Really_Effective

Question: Why are saturated fats, with single carbon bonds, harder for body to break down? Why are saturated fats, which have single carbon bonds, more difficult for our bodies to break down than unsaturated fats, which have double carbon bonds? Thanks =) Thanks Scooter =) I appreciate your help!

Answer: Again I'm not an expert but hopefully the link I'm giving u will help you find the infortmation you need. Good luck & again I'm happy with your progress. http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=Why+are+saturated+fats%2C+with+single+carbon+bonds%2C+harder+for+body+to+break+down&fr=ush-mail&ygmabtsrchbtn=Web+Search

Question: What does the body use SATURATED fats for? I know that excess saturated fat gets converted to cholesterol which accumulates in the arteries. But we need a certain quantity of saturated fat in our diets to carry out certain functions in our bodies, don't we? What do we need saturates for, and how does our body metabolize them to use them?

Answer: In animals, acetyl-CoA is essential to the balance between carbohydrate metabolism and fat metabolism (see fatty acid synthesis). In normal circumstances, acetyl-CoA from fatty acid metabolism feeds into the citric acid cycle, contributing to the cell's energy supply. In the liver, when levels of circulating fatty acids are high, the production of acetyl-CoA from fat breakdown exceeds the cellular energy requirements. To make use of the energy available from the excess acetyl-CoA, ketone bodies are produced which can then circulate in the blood. Therefore, when at rest, both the skeletal and cardiac muscles satisfy their energy requirement mainly through oxidation of ketone bodies

Question: Do animal fats or vegetable oils generally contain the greater amount of saturated fat? Do animal fats or vegetable oils generally contain the greater amount of saturated fat? Any specific details would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Answer: Generally animal fat has more satrurated fatty acid rather than vegetable oils, hence vegetable oils are prescribed for the hypertension patients. As saturated fatty acids causes the hypertension.

Question: What kind of foods have saturated fats? If I were want to avoid foods with saturated fats, what foods will i be avoiding?

Answer: I think controlling it down to less than what the daily value requires is a good way to start avoid it. Saturated fatty acids are found mainly animal fats (including dairy products). There are two vegetable fats are saturated: palm and coconut oil. Typically, we get the greatest proportion of our saturated fat intake from 'invisible' fats in prepared or processed foods, like: fried food, frozen food, sausages, bacon, salami, cakes, cookies, pastries, chocolate and cheese. I try to avoid saturated fat by preparing most of the food in my house from scratch and reading the back labels from the food I buy. This way, I know what I am putting into my mouth. Since all meat contain saturated fat, I uses tofu or seafood (such as fish) as a replacement for meat.

Question: If these are my ONLY sources of saturated fats, will I still gain weight? I don't eat most processed food or any fried/fast food. The only places I get fat from are: coconut oil, flax oil, extra virgin olive oil, avocados and nuts/nut butters. Will I gain weight if I eat these saturated fats? More or less than fried/fast/processed foods?

Answer: It mainly depends on the amount of food your are eating in conjunction with where you get it from. One thing you should keep in mind though is that you want to stay away from tropical oils such as coconut or palm oil. They have one of the highest saturated fat contents and are actually worse than most meat of processed foods as far as saturated fat goes. I would say to be sure you are looking at what you are doing with the energy you get from your diet. You don't gain weight by eating fat, but having an excess of calories. Again it comes down to amount. A small excess is good for you in the long run, but too many people have a massive excess that leads to obesity and other health problems. http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov Go to that site and fill out the profile and at least one day of the average foods you would eat. Look at how your actual intake of calories, nutrients, etc. compared to where you should actually be around. If your recommended intake says 2300 calories, then you should be around that ballpark, not shooting for something like 1700 calories a day. This will also show you how much saturated fat you are getting versus the recommended intake. Remember that you don't want excess, but you don't want too little either, so you should be around the RDA's.