Saturated Fat vs. Grains: Which One is Really the Enemy?

Eat whole grains, wheat bread, and avoid red meat and saturated fat to be a good, healthy person. . . sounds about right, doesn’t it? These nutritional “guidelines” that we have been told for far too long are actually causing more disease and making people more unhealthy than ever before in history.
Let me propose a statement here. Saturated fat and cholesterol are VITAL for a healthy body, while whole grains have the potential to be toxic to it.
Sounds backwards right? Like eating that piece of red meat or slathering everything in butter is healthier than a piece of whole grain toast. . . well I have good news for you – it is!

Importance of Saturated Fat and Cholesterol in the Body

Saturated Fat:

• Saturated fats function as signaling messengers for hormonal production.
• Cell membranes need saturated fat to function properly.
• Saturated fat protects the liver from the toxic effects of medication and alcohol.
• The heart muscle prefers saturated fat for energy.
• Saturated fat plays an important role in immune function.
• Saturated fats signal satiety and have a crucial role in appetite signaling.

Cholesterol:

• Cholesterol is the body’s repair substance: scar tissue contains high levels of cholesterol, including scar tissue in the arteries.
• Cholesterol is the precursor to vitamin D, necessary for numerous biochemical processes including mineral metabolism. The bile salts, required for the digestion of fat, are made of cholesterol. Those who suffer from low cholesterol often have trouble digesting fats.
• Cholesterol also functions as a powerful antioxidant, thus protecting us against cancer and aging. Cholesterol is vital to proper neurological function. It plays a key role in the formation of memory and the uptake of hormones in the brain, including serotonin, the body’s feel-good chemical.
• Cholesterol regulates blood sugar levels and mineral balance. It also promotes healing and balances the tendency to inflammation.

Basically, if we do not give our bodies saturated fat and cholesterol, we are not giving our brain, heart, or hormones what they need to work properly. This is HUGE for women. If we want our hormones to be balanced, to have stable moods, and stable energy, than we need to give our body the nutrients it needs to stay in balance.

Why Grains Can Be Toxic

Many doctors and well meaning professionals recommend many servings of whole grains as a part of a healthy diet. The sad truth is that grain consumption, especially in the the forms found today, are not even close to the way humans have eaten for almost our entire history.

Gluten is becoming a major issue – it causes inflammation in the body, is extremely hard on our digestive systems, and is messing with our hormones more than we ever knew. In many people, gluten is causing acne, extreme fatigue, anxiety, infertility, and digestive issues. The sad part is most people do not even think of gluten as the culprit to their problems.

There are two main reasons why grains can harm the body.

1. Grains contain Phytic Acid which is a mineral blocker and anti-nutrient that prevents absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc. “Phytic acid not only grabs on to important minerals, but also inhibits enzymes that we need to digest our food, including pepsin, needed for the breakdown of proteins in the stomach, amylase, needed for the breakdown of starch into sugar, and trypsin, needed for protein digestion in the small intestine.”(1).

Phytic acid is extremely hard on our digestive systems and can cause serious nutritional deficiencies and digestive disorders. This is why if you do choose to consume grains, it is so important to soak or sprout first, to neutralize the phytic acid.

Read more about the dangers of phytic acid here. https://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/living-with-phytic-acid

2. Grains spike insulin levels: Grains are extremely heavy in carbohydrates which spike our insulin levels like crazy. When our insulin levels are spiked, our hormonal system gets our of sync, our moods are all over the place, and we begin to crave more and more food- our bodies simply can’t handle the insulin requirements we throw at them with the carb load we consume these days.

Insulin spikes are also the reason why we have energy levels that are all over the place. If you struggle with fatigue, try eliminating grains from your diet and see your energy improve significantly.

When carbohydrates enter the body (grains or sugar) they are eventually broken down into glucose. Any extra glucose floating around in the body that we are not immediately using to replenish glycogen stores is stored as fat.

When eating grains, go for gluten free choices like buckwheat, millet, quinoa, and brown rice.

Key Summary:

1. We have found that grains can deplete nutrients, cause weight gain and infertility.
2.  Sauturated fat and cholostrol are used as energy for they body and are not stored as fat. Grains covert into sugar in your body, which is then stored as fat.
3. Your brain and hormones specifically need saturated fat and cholesterol to run smoothly.
4. Cancer cells feed off extra sugar that is stored in the body – which is what too much of the breads, cakes, crackers, and cookies turn into.
5. For balanced hormones, increased fertility, stable moods, high energy, and sharp brain function- avoid grains,(rice, breads, cookies, crackers,) focus on healthy fats, clean proteins, and tons of antioxidant rich vegetables!

Article References:

Mercola

Weston A Price

Kriss Kresser