The Case for Saturated Fat and Cholesterol

I recently received an email from one of the many how-to-be-a-good-parent email lists. This one was a list of snack foods to give your toddler, foods that would do double-duty by providing nutrition and taste. What really struck me was the emphasis on reduced-fat and reduced-cholesterol foods. My blood boiled, which may have reduced my LDL cholesterol level a little bit.

Joking aside, saturated fat and cholesterol are important components of the diet. Especially for children under the age of two. I advocate FULL FAT (organic) dairy for that reason. During these tender years, the brain is developing at a rapid pace. Nutrients found in FULL FAT products are necessary for

• building nerve tissue, including brain tissue
• helping the body to absorb certain nutrients (vitamins A, D, E, and K)
• building necessary hormones
• insulating all nervous system tissue

Parents have been so involved with limiting fats in the diet, that the FDA decided that for foods intended for children under the age of two, calories from fat and calories from saturated fat must not be presented on the nutrition label. (See http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm064904.htm#kidlabel)

So why do I advocate organic meats and full-fat dairy? There is no difference in grams of fat provided, but the makeup of that fat is different. Fats from organic meat and dairy is more anti-inflammatory while fats from conventionally raised animals is more inflammatory, contributing to more disease.

Lesson learned? Go crazy with the avocado, walnuts, full-fat organic yogurt, and other seeds and nuts (age and allergy status permitting, of course).