Don't Be Foolish About Fats

Fats are one of the three macronutrients. Fats are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and are built with a glycerol backbone with fatty acids attached. Fats are known by many names—fat, triglycerides, fatty acids, oils, esters, lipids. Some have different technical meanings, but all generally refer to dietary fats.

So let’s look at the details—yay chemistry! Like I said earlier, fats consist of a glycerol backbone and fatty acid tails. Triglycerides are named because there are 3 (tri) fatty acid tails attached to the glycerol backbone. The more double bonds each fatty acid possess the more unsaturated they become. Below is a picture of a generic triglyceride.

Fats can also be drawn like zig-zags, where each point is a carbon atom, and unless there are 2 lines (a double bond), the carbon is saturated with hydrogens.

            Now that you know what a general fat looks like, let’s get down to more technical things. There are different types of fat—saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), polyunsaturated (PUFA), and trans-fatty acids. In general, we want to consume more MUFAs and PUFAs than SFAs, and if at all possible, we want to limit trans-fats to scant amounts. Saturated fatty acids mean that the fatty acid chain (the carbon molecules) are all saturated (using up the remainder of carbon’s 4 bonds) with hydrogens—therefore each carbon atom gets 2 hydrogen bonds and 2 carbon bonds, and the very last carbon gets 3 hydrogens since it only has to bond to one carbon to stay on the chain. Unsaturated fatty acids means that not all of the carbons are saturated with hydrogen, therefore leaving that extra bond to be carried over to the adjacent carbon making it a double bond. Monounsaturated fats are those where there is only one double bond in the fatty acid chain, and polyunsaturated fatty acids are those where there are many double bonds. In the zig-zag picture above, you can see a saturated fat on top, a monounsaturated fat in the middle (note: when making a double bond it also changes the structure and direction of the fatty acid chain), and a polyunsaturated fatty acid on the bottom.

             Another cool thing about the chemistry of fats is understanding why they look they way they do by seeing how they present as

the oils we see in our kitchens. SFAs stack really well with each other because they make a nice chevron pattern—because of this SFAs are solid at room temperature—think butter. However, MUFAs don’t stack very nicely, because they are bent in the middle, and usually the bend is at different parts of the chain for each fatty acid—these are liquid at room temperature, and sometimes solidify a bit in the fridge—think olive oil. PUFAs don’t stack, and are very loosely kept together—think of

stacking a bunch of randomly bent paperclips. PUFAs are liquid at room temperature and when cooled like grapeseed oil. Trans-fats are fats that were originally unsaturated fatty acids (mono or poly) but then had hydrogens pumped in causing the bend in the chain to twist. This results in a chain that mimics SFAs while still holding on to that double bond—this means trans-fats are solid at room temperature, like Crisco.

              Fats are digested starting in the mouth with mechanical digestion (chewing) and chemical digestion from lingual lipase. Next, the gallbladder releases bile and pancreatic enzymes enter the GI tract at the duodenum to further digest fats. Bile has a hydrophobic end (water hating, fat loving) and a hydrophilic end (water loving, fat hating). The bile emulsifies the fat from a large globule into small micelles (tiny fat globules surrounded by bile) by attaching its hydrophobic end to the fat droplets. Micelles can travel through the hydrophilic intestinal wall into the lymph system, travel to the liver, then get sent out through the blood in lipoproteins and delivered to cells.

So now that you have the general background—let’s talk food and nutrition. Fats are the most calorically-dense macronutrient, producing 9 calories per gram of fat. This is more than double carbohydrates and proteins who both produce 4 kcals/g. This means that in a smaller volume of food, you can have equal to or greater calorie content than a CHO or protein item. Remember my #1 lesson? BALANCE, VARIETY, AND MODERATION. Fats, contrary to popular belief, are not bad for us. We need fats in order to surround our organs for protection, for vision, skin health, and

emergency preparedness. An important thing to know when it comes to eating fat is what kind of fat you’re eating and how much of it you are eating—too much of anything can be harmful whether it’s water or doughnuts. I hate labeling foods as “good” and “bad”, so instead we are going to focus on the fats that are generally preferred over others with the understanding that a little trans-fat here and there won’t kill you.

What type of fat is preferred in our diets? We want to get a variety of all 3 types of fats (again, trans-fats as little as possible) with an emphasis on the MUFAs and PUFAs. The Mediterranean diet—the one everyone tells you is the elixir of life—consists of roughly 75% MUFAs, 17% PUFAs, and 8% SFAs. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that Americans strive to make SFAs less than 10% of their daily fat intake. What actually happens? The average American’s typical daily fat intake consists of 44% MUFAs, 23% PUFAs, and 33% SFAs—a lot different than the recommendations! Strive to use more vegetable oils than animal fats, eat fried foods in moderation, and vamp up the olive and canola oil. Also, SFAs can come in long chains, medium chain, and short chains, and for our health medium & short chain SFAs are preferred (avocado and coconut oil).

What do fats do for our bodies? Fats are responsible for helping in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K). These vitamins need to “hold hands” with a fat molecule in order to cross the intestinal wall. Fats create a pleasant mouthfeel and aid in the taste and texture of our foods making them desirable which has helped in the survival of our species. Fats promote healthy cell function and maintain the vitality of our skin and hair. Fats also help you feel satiated when you’ve eaten a meal, and keep you from getting hungry 15 minutes after you’ve finished—this is because they take longer to digest! Fats insulate our vital organs, so that if you bump up against something it won’t cause an organ bruise—fat is a natural shock absorber. The most known function of fat is that it stores energy and is our emergency preparedness kit. Fat is the main energy storage in our bodies, and in times of need we can unlock the door and use the energy, whether you’re purposely dieting or accidentally get lost out in the woods. Fats are essential for reproductive health signaling vital hormones to be released allowing for puberty, menstruation, and reproductive wellness. Last but not least, fat plays a role in metabolism producing coenzymes, fueling metabolic processes, and aiding in the production of ATP.

Now, go out there and have some avocado on toast, dip a piece of French bread into olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or have some fried chicken! Have fun! Enjoy the food that you eat. Fats are meant to help us, not hurt us, so go eat some food that actually tastes good!

Lindsey’s Signature Guacamole

2 Haas avocados, diced

½ jalapeno, minced

1 tomato, diced

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

½ lime, juice only

½ lemon, juice only

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix together, and enjoy with some chips!

All About Protein

The first step to learning about protein is knowing how to spell it. General rule is “i” before “e” except after “c”, right? Wrong. Protein is one of those weird words where the “e” comes before the “i”. Now that you’ve read this, I expect you to get it right! Proteins are the building blocks of our bodies, and of the foods that we eat. Proteins are made up of small molecules bonded together—these small molecules are called amino acids (AAs).  AAs consist of a carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. Nitrogen is the main differentiating quality of proteins from the two other macronutrients. The central carbon (with 4 bonds) is bonded to a nitrogen ion, an acid, a hydrogen, and an “R” group that can be various carbon chains depending on the specific AA. Here is a visual.

           There are different classes of AAs based on their structure, they are called basic or branched-chain AAs. Basic AAs are those that the R group is one simple chain, the carbon of the R group attached to the central carbon only bonds to one other carbon. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are those where the carbon of the R group is bonded to 3 other carbons. BCAAs are typically used for fuel by muscles, especially when injured or strength training.    

            AAs can also be classified as essential or non-essential. Our bodies need 20 common AAs that bond together in various ways in order to facilitate our body’s daily processes. 11 of these AAs are deemed non-essential meaning that our bodies can make these AAs with left-over parts from other AAs. Therefore, there are 9 essential AAs that we need to consume through our diet in order to provide our bodies with the full 20. In addition, if we consume any of the 11 non-essential AAs, our bodies will use them directly instead of manufacturing them.

Dietary protein provides all 9 essential AAs that our bodies need as well as providing “spare parts” for our bodies to make the non-essential AAs. Animal sources of protein (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, etc.) contain all 9 essential AAs—these are called complete proteins. However, plant sources of protein usually do not contain all of the essential AAs in one plant (with the exception of soy and quinoa) thus they are called incomplete proteins. When eating a vegetarian diet, it is important to focus on complementary proteins that pair together make a complete protein (containing all 9 essential AAs). As seen in the picture below, you can pair two of the following foods to make a complementary protein: dairy, nuts/seeds, grains, and legumes.

So how does it work? Let’s pretend you’re building a car (complete protein) with parts (AAs) from different body shops (plant protein sources). One shop (legumes) brings you 3 tires, a steering wheel, brakes, seats, and an engine. Another shop (grains) brings you 2 tires, the body/frame, 3 steering wheels, brakes, seats, and 2 engines. You now have all of the parts you need to make the car (4 tires, the body/frame, a steering wheel, engine, brakes and seats) but you also have extra parts (1 tire, 1 set of brakes, 1 set of seats, 2 engines, and 3 steering wheels) to go towards making another car, making the limiting amino acid the body/frame because it came in the lowest quantity and inhibited our body to make a second car. Make sense?

Proteins are made up of specific “shapes”, and when they are exposed to heat, acidic or basic substances, or agitation they change shape and are no longer biologically functioning proteins. This can be seen by cooking an egg—the protein (egg white) starts out clear, and as the heat penetrates the proteins they change shape and turn an opaque white color. Or you can think of beating egg whites to

form “stiff peaks”—the agitation of consistent beating denatures the proteins to change shape. This is actually the first step in digesting proteins—breaking down their structure/denaturing the proteins. Once we eat proteins they begin digesting in our mouths by chewing. Proteins are broken down further once they enter the stomach and meet hydrochloric acid (HCl) and pepsin (an enzyme made to specifically break down proteins). Upon arrival to the small intestine, proteins meet more enzymes released by the pancreas that break the proteins down into short peptides (amino acids bonded together in a chain) and amino acids. These proteins are then absorbed through the ileum of the small intestine (the last section) and transported through the blood stream.

What do proteins do for our bodies? Every cell is made up of proteins. Proteins provide the structure/walls/scaffolding for pretty much every part of our bodies. This means that when cells die, like they’re supposed to (dead skin, hair, etc.), we need more proteins to make replacement cells. Proteins also maintain bodily fluid balance, participate in acid/base balance, help in the production of hormones and enzymes, aid in immune health, make glucose for the brain (when necessary), act as an energy source, and aid in satiation.

The average person needs 0.8 grams of protein for every kg of body weight each day. Gerald weighs 175 lbs. which is 79.4 kg. 79.4 kg × 0.8 g/kg = 63.52 g protein per day. That’s really cool information, but that’s not exactly what we order at a restaurant, right? Well, 1- 4 oz. portion of chicken contains approximately 35 g of protein. A Clif Bar has anywhere from 7-14 g protein… this adds up fast! Protein is valued higher than the other macronutrients in our society due to fad diets and poor media. We really do not need to focus on protein as much as we typically. A typical American eating 2 eggs at breakfast (12 g), a turkey sandwich at lunch (14 g), and a 4 oz. steak at dinner (36 g), with snacks in between (15-30g), would easily over-shoot their protein needs for the day. According to the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges, protein is only supposed to be 10% to 35% of our daily intake. You can calculate how much this is by going backwards—if you are eating an 1800 kcal/day diet, 10% of that is 180 calories—there are 4 kcals/gram of protein so in order to consume

180 kcals from protein you’d need to eat 45 g protein each day, or, if you’re looking to get the high end of protein intake, 35% protein from an 1800 kcal/day diet would be 135 g. Higher protein needs would be due to injury, illness, burns, athletic performance, etc. However, if you’re going for a 20 minute walk 4x/week you likely will not need much extra protein.

What happens if you eat too much protein? Just like all excess calories, excess protein can be converted into fat and stored for future use as energy. Diets high in protein are often times simultaneously low-carb diets. Meaning that these high-protein/low-carb diets are withholding the brain’s preferred energy source, low in fiber for gut health, possibly lacking vitamins, and have the possibility (depending on your protein source) of increasing blood cholesterol levels with increased saturated fats. In extreme cases there could be organ damage, disease development, and toxicities.

When we do not eat enough protein or have a medical condition that requires increased protein needs it is possible to develop protein energy malnutrition. This is displayed in two different conditions, Kwashiorkor and Marasmus. Kwashiorkor patients present with very large and distended bellies while maintaining some fat stores—they are malnourished patients with an additional condition such as infection. Marasmus patients show a skeletal-like appearance—they are extremely malnourished patients (protein and other nutrients). These visuals are only in chronic cases—it is possible to have protein energy malnutrition without exhibiting these physical attributes.

Overall—it is important to eat proteins, and eat them in an informed way. If you are a meat eater, feel safe in knowing that they’re bringing all the parts you need to make a car. If you’re a vegetarian, remember to eat a variety of protein foods throughout the day in order to gather all the parts you need for your car. There’s no need to stress about proteins, it is likely that you’re getting what you need throughout the day if you are following BALANCE, VARIETY, and MODERATION.

Wardlaw, G. M., & Hampl, J. S. (2007). Perspectives in nutrition. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Auntie Madeline’s Peanut Chicken

2 lbs. chicken tenderloins

1/3 c peanut butter

2 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 clove garlic, chopped

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

Mix peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Toss with chicken tenderloins and marinate for at least 1 hour in refrigerator.

Slide chicken pieces on previously-soaked skewers and barbecue, turning often, until cooked thoroughly. Eat with coleslaw, rice, and a cold beverage on a picnic table in the back yard.

You can also bake them at 400° for 30 minutes, but they’re better barbecued

-        --Madeline Herzog