New research supports the view that eating large amounts of saturated fat is unhealthy. The Department of Medicine at Imperial College London conducted a study on mice that have an unusually high level of saturated fat circulating in their blood. Results showed that the presence of saturated fat in the blood caused monocytes (a type of white blood cell) to migrate into the tissues of vital organs. Once in the organs, the migrated monocytes are turned into macrophages, some of which went on to absorb fat and transform into ‘foam cells’. Both the foam cells and macrophages then trigger the production of a signaling molecule called CCL4, which attracts more monocytes into the tissue.
This process continues until the level of saturated fats in the blood return to normal. It is thought that this mechanism has evolved to remove fat from the blood. However, the researchers believe that there is a downside to this mechanism, in that the migrating monocytes may worsen tissue damage because they exacerbate ongoing or underlying inflammation. This is not of great concern if blood levels of saturated fats are only elevated very occasionally, but having permanently elevated saturated levels could mean that the migration of monocytes is happening on a routine basis. Modern lifestyles seem to go hand-in-hand with high levels of fat in the blood. This fat comes from the food and drink that we consume.
Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec’s comments on “Saturated Fats Produce Inflammation and Immune Imbalance”
What this research is concluding is this: when you eat saturated fat regularly (which most all Americans do because saturated fats are high in all animal products- meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, milk and is used in processed fats and oils) this fat must be cleared so it does this by sending white blood cells to attack and digest it just the same as if it were a cancer cell and in this process they produce inflammatory molecules that can damage cells, tissues, glands and organs. This causes immune suppression because you are sending too many white blood cells into battle to eat the excessive saturated fat that is floating in your blood that does not leave enough white blood cell warriors to kill and eat the bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites and cancer cells that routinely are found in the body. So be eating too much saturated fat you are causing inflammation to increase and inflammation is the root of all disease. Also you are opening the door to cancer and a host of other diseases.
What can you do?
Eat more plant products and less animal products. Eat more salads, vegetables, seeds, nuts, avocados, low glycemic index fruit and sea vegetables. Eat as little animal products as you need to. The other negative factor of saturated fats is that they clog up cell membranes and that is the life of your cell. Nutrients cannot enter the cell nor can waste products exit a cell efficiently that have too much saturated fats and cholesterol in their membranes.
Remember God’s first plan is always His best:
Gen 1:29-30
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground — everything that has the breath of life in it — I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. NIV
