By Dr. Joseph Mercola | mercola.com
For the past several decades, saturated fats and cholesterol have been wrongly vilified as the central culprit of heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. However, research has demonstrated that it's actually sugar, refined carbohydrates, trans fats and processed vegetable oils found in many processed foods that are the real enemy.
In the decades saturated fats were demonized, the food industry responded by replacing saturated fats with more shelf-stable trans fats, and a new market of low-fat (high-sugar) foods was born.
Americans' health has plummeted ever since, and millions have been prematurely killed by this mistake. Making matters worse, genetically engineered soy oil, which is a major source of trans fat, can oxidize inside your body, thereby causing damage to both your heart and your brain.
A recent study published in the journal Neurology has once again highlighted the damaging effects of trans fats on the brain. Researchers followed more than 1,600 Japanese men and women over a period of 10 years. They conducted a blood test for trans fat levels at the beginning of the study, then analyzed their diets throughout the years to determine how it affected dementia risk. The researchers also counted for factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and smoking.
The results showed that participants with the two highest levels of trans fats were 74% and 52% more likely to develop dementia, compared to those with the lowest levels.
This mistaken fat phobia has undoubtedly played a significant role in the dramatic rise in dementia and other neurological disorders because your brain cannot function properly without fats. In fact, most people benefit from up to 50-85% of their daily calories in the form of fats for optimal health while they are seeking to resolve their insulin resistance.
Healthy fats to add to your diet include:
• Avocados
• Butter made from raw, grass-fed organic milk
• Raw dairy
• Coconuts and coconut oil
• Organic pastured egg yolks
• Grass-fed meats
• Raw nuts, such as almonds, pecans, macadamia and seeds
