Is Saturated Fat Bad For Me?

You are likely well aware of the common health "advice" that Saturated Fat is the #1 enemy of a healthy diet. Well, it turns out that this recommendation is outdated and overly simplistic.
The newest research reveals the following
1) Saturated Fats are not the enemy - although we certainly want to limit low-quality saturated fat (and all trans fats) from processed meats.
2) Not all Saturated Fats are created equal; there is a big difference between the special types of Saturated Fats in MCT Oil/Virgin Coconut Oil and the Saturated Fats in a cooked ribeye steak. The former will likely improve your health; the latter will not.
In the articles above, please see the section on Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs are found in Virgin Coconut Oil, and you may have noticed that we do recommend the use of some Coconut Oil in the Fit Father Meal Plan. 
Although MCTs are technically defined as "saturated fats" (meaning they have all single bonds between the carbon molecules in the fat chain), MCTs are FAR DIFFERENT than the longer saturated fats you may find in bacon/steak.
Our bodies process MCTs in a special way that helps improve our energy levels, burn fat, kill microbes, and even prevent Alzheimer's disease ( see studies). We still recommend moderate amounts of Virgin Coconut Oil - certainly not slathering it on everything.
So if saturated fats aren't all bad, what are "healthy fats?"
1) I broadly define healthy fats as the following:
Unprocessed fats (i.e. not like trans fats and highly processed vegetable oils) that are either left raw or cooked at the right temperature ( see this video) so they don't oxidize/become racid which is dangerous to our health... and these healthy fats should also exert an anti-inflammatory effect on the body - meaning they are richer in omega-3s vs omega-6s (the latter of which can promote inflammation when consumed in high amounts).
Here are some healthy fats that fit these criteria:
  • Avocado
  • Pasture-raised egg yolks
  • Virgin Coconut Oil (for cooking/putting a bit in a shake recipe)
  • Nuts/seeds
  • Natural fats in salmon / grass-fed beef
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Avocado Oil
  • Macadamia Nut Oil

You'll notice that the majority of the Fit Father Meal Plan recipes have these types of fats in them.

For a practical application of this information, please know that something like salmon has natural healthy fats in it (rich in omega-3s), so you wouldn't need to add extra healthy fats to a meal with salmon - although drizzling a bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on your veggies is a good idea; be careful not to drizzle too much as calories - even from healthy fats - still matter. 
For a discussion on whether or not the cholesterol in eggs is bad for you, please see this article here:
-Dr. A