Muscle & Fitness

The Fats of Life

October 2007

Which types of fat shold you welcome into your muscle-building meal plan, and which ones should you give a wide berth? Here’s the skinny.

Few food components have endured such a hotly debated history as fat. First there were health organizations preaching that your best bet for better health and a six-pack was avoiding all high-fat fare. Suddenly almonds were left to grow mouldy on store shelves. Next you had diet gurus penning books touting the next diet craze that claimed fat - even the saturated variety - was innocent in the battle of the bulge, and that a plate of greasy sausage with butter-fried eggs wasn’t so bad for your ticker. All the sudden fat was, well, phat.

Now that the dust has settled, what we’re left with is the truth: There are good fats and bad fats. Eat too many of the bad guys and you’ll be reading glossies at the cardiologist’s office. Eat too few of the good ones and you’ll damage your health and jeopardize your gains from weight training. “It’s not so much a question of how much fat to put on your plate, but rather which fat,” explains Rick Hall, RD, a nutrition lecturer at Arizona State University (Tempe). So which fats are desirable and which are health bullies? The answers may surprise you. Here’s a primer.

The Importance of Fats

You know all about the downside of dietary fat. Too much of the worng kinds can clog arteries, damage your heart and add bodyfat to your frame. Bud does fat offer any benefits? Absolutely.

Our bodies need dietary fat to function properly. Cut too much of it from yor diet and you can expect poor health. As Rick Hall, RD, says, ““the same fat that may hide your washboard is also vital for long term storage of energy, insulation, and protection of joints and organs.”

As part of all our cells, fat regulates body temperature, immunity, metabolism and blood pressure. Dietary fats are important for brain function and - contrary to previous belief -  cardiovascular health. Fat also helps with absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as antioxidants such as carotenoids that aid in post-workout muscle recovery. Let’s not forget that fat provides satiety and tastes great, making food more palatable and helping you feel full longer.

FAT THE BAD

Sadly, fat’s taste-promoting function can also be one of its downfalls. “Dietary fat contains more than twice the calories - per gram - than carbohydrates and protein and can be efficiently converted to body fat,” notes Hall. This means too many Happy Meals can quickly wreck your buff-to-blubber ratio. For this reason alone, many scientists maintain that we should still treat fat like an unwanted relative – accepted, but at arm’s length. Not too mention that eating too much of the wrong kinds can clog arteries and leave your heart in a bad mood.

FATS MANY FACES

Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity. Is there any illness that hasn’t been blamed on choking down too much fat? Thing is, fat is not a monolithic enemy. When it comes to your health, “it’s not so much a matter of how much fat, but instead which fat you put on your plate that’s of primary importance,” says Hall. Here’s a quick rundown on which fat is where it’s at. 

MONOUNSATURATED FATTY ACID (MUFA)

The Players: Palmitoleic acid, oleic acid

The Good: “Monounsaturated fats can lower harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels as well as total cholesterol, so they’re cardio-protective,” says Leslie Bonci, RD, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center and nutritionist for the Pittsburg Steelers.

MUFAs may also keep LDL form oxidizing – a huge benefit, considering oxidized cholesterol is more likely to stick to artery walls and can cause heart attacks. And new research shows that oleic acid (the main fat in olive oil), when consumed in reasonable amounts, actually promotes fat-burning as opposed to fat storage. The good news for those whootrain is that research from the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota) show that exercise helps increase the burning of monounsaturated fats after meals, rather than it being stored as body-fat. And as far as fat loss, subject who simply increase their monounsaturated fat intake lose weight without decreasing calories.

The Bad: None, really. You’d be hard-pressed to find any nutritionist who would disrespect MUFAs.

Your Move: Substitute MUFAs for somm of the saturated and all of the trans fats (see page 198) in your diet to greatly improve cardiovascular health.

How Much: Do as the healthy and slim Mediterranean’s would, and make one of the primary ones in your diet, composing 10-15% of your total daily caloric intake.    

Extra Mile: Toss the fat-free salad dressings and drizzle your lettuce with extra-virgin olive oil. Not only is it loaded with MUFA, but it also contains oleocanthal – an anti-inflammatory that can help sooth distressed muscles and joints. Besides, research shows that eating salad with fat-free dressing reduces absorption of critical phytonutrients (important antioxidants that help with muscle recovery) from the salad compared to salads eaten with oil-based dressings.  

POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACID (PUFA)

The Players: Linoleic acid (omega-6), alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)

The Good: As with MUFAs, the American Dietetic Association recommends you regularly consume heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats. The powerhouse fats in this category are by far the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA found in cold-water, fatty fish. They fight everything from heart disease and depression to an expanding waistline, and have several benefits specific to bodybuilders. Research shows they reduce muscle wasting during periods of muscle disuse, such as layoffs from the gym, suggesting that omega-3s can reduce muscle breakdown and enhance muscle growth.  They also have anti-inflammatory effects, which is critical for maintaining joint health while lifting heavy. “Their anti-inflammatory properties can reduce recovery time for heavy lifters,” Bonci says. In addition, omega-3s can increase fat-burning and overall bodyfat reduction.

Another superstar is CLA, which is found in red meat and dairy. Although the amount of CLA in foods has declined over the years due to changes in how cattle are raised and the proliferation of reduced fat products, you can still find it in beef and dairy from grass-fed cattle. CLA can improve body composition (more muscle, less fat) and fight cancer.

The Bad: While essential linoleic acids (omega-6) are good for you – they’re called essential, after all, because our bodies can’t make them and we must obtain them from food – the problem is that most people consume far too many compared to alpha-linolenic acids (omega-3s). Most restaurants, as well as convenience-store foods such as candy bars, crackers and chips, use omega-6-rich oils such as corn and soy. As a result, the typical ratio for omega-6 to omega-3 intake is 10:1, Bonci notes A higher intake of omega-6s can lead to inflammation that promotes arthritis, cancer, heart disease and obesity, not to mention cause immediate negative effects for bodybuilders such as reduced muscle and joint recovery, which can make muscle mass, strength grains and fat loss difficult to come by.

Your Move: Concentrate on omega-3s as opposed to omega-6s. Eat fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, trout, white tuna or arctic char 3-4 times per week and/or supplement with 1-2 grams of fish oil with food twice daily. Boost your CLA intake by consuming beef and dairy from grass-fed cattle or supplementing with 1-3 grams of CLA three times per day with food.

How Much: About 10%-15%  of  you total daily caloric intake should come from PUFAs.

Extra Mile: Instead of always buying canned chunk light tuna, pick up some white tuna and of course salmon, as well as mackerel, anchioves, sardines, herring, and trout, which contains more omega-3s. You can also toss omega-3-rich walnuts on your salads.

SATURATED

The Players: Palmitic acid, stearic acid, lauric acid.

The Good: The reputation of saturated fats as a major cholesterol booster is why the American Heart Association gives it a thumbs down. Yet according to cutting edge research, much of it coming from Jeff Volek, PhD, RD, at the University of Connecticut (Storrs), this negative take on saturated fat could be all wrong. Research shows that stearic acid, the major saturated fat in beef and chicken, doesn’t raise LDL (the bad) cholesterol levels. The same can be said about palmitic acid, found primarily in dairy, when linoleic acid (omega-6 fats) levels are also adequate. In fact, when carbohydrates are reduced in the diet and saturated-fat intake is increased, levels of HDL (the good) cholesterol increase. The reason saturated fat got such a bad rap is their ability to increase cholesterol levels when carbohydrate and total calories are in excess. So as long as your carbs and calories are in check, you’ll want to consume some saturated fats, which are critical for testosterone production.

The Bad: If you consume a lot of carbs (more than 2 grams per pound of body-weight per day) and extra calories, and excess of saturated fat ii your diet – particularly palmitic acid – can reduce insulin functioning, promote fat storage and negatively impact cardiovascular health.

Your Move: Keep carbs to 2 grams per pound of bodyweight and calories to about 18 per pound of bodyweight per day, and get in some saturated fat from beef, poultry and dairy along with the recommended amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats listed earlier.

How Much: Go for about 10% or slightly less of your total daily calories from saturated fat, along with 10%-15% of total daily calories from MUFAs and another 10-15% from PUFAs. These fats work together to promote muscle growth, fat loss and overall health when carbs and calories are eaten in monderation.

Extra Mile: Lauric acid (found in coconut) and stearic acid (found in chocolate) have little, if any, influence on raising cholesterol levels. In fact, research shows that small amounts of coconut oil may improve HDL:LDL (good:bad cholesterol) profiles, Hall says. What’s more lauric acid is a type of fat known as medium-chain triglyceride that is largely oxidized into energy in the liver and muscle instead of entering fat. Coconut oil is very heat stable, so you can use it to cook your omega-3-rich salmon steak. Also consider getting some fat from dark chocolate, a great “cheat” food containing hefty amounts of disease-fighting antioxidants.

The Players: Vegetable oils that have been converted (hydrogenated) to solid fat.

The Good: Food manufactures love this cheap fat because it extends a product’s shelf life and makes packaged foods creamier or crisper. But unless you’re a CEO of Frito-Lay, there’s really nothing good about trans fat.

The Bad: They may improve the taste of food, but health-wise they’re a disaster. Recent animal research suggests that trans fat may increase abdominal fat levels, Bonci says. And a pile of studies link trans fat to clogged arteries, cancer, and diabetes. This man-made hazard even prevents the body from using the essential omega fats properly. Worst of all for bodybuilders, trans fats can reduce amino acid uptake, limiting muscle growth, and increase muscle breakdown.

Your Move: Treat trans fat like a Backstreet Boys: avoid at all costs. Stay away from trans fat-laden fried foods, pastries, chips, biscuits. When in doubt, check the label;  new food laws mandate that packaged list their trans-fat values.

How Much: Keep these close to zero.

Extra Mile: Fast-food joints have long been big pushers of trans fats, but the times are finally changing. KFC, Taco Bell and Wendy’s have cut out trans fats from most items on their menus. To see how much trans fats the other chains still use, go online; most national establishments now provide complete nutrition breakdowns on their websites.

Face the Fats

Now that you know which fats are muscle-friendly and which are nutritional villains, here’s where you can find them.

Note: Foods naturally contain a mixture of fats; here they’re grouped by the predominant type of fat.

OIL CHANGE          

You’ve shelled out your cash for a prime cut of beef - but what to cook it with? Choose monounsaturated and saturated fats over polyunsaturated fats. They’re more heat stable and therefore a better choice for a red-hot grill pan.

OMEGA MUSCLE

For improved health – and greater muscle - aim to get more omega-3s and fewer omega-6s into your daily diet plan.