Dangerous Saturated Fats and the Benefits of a Natural Diet.

Everyone is told that saturated fats are bad, but nobody tells you where they are and what makes them so bad. In the 1940s, there was an upsurgance of heart disease, and when put under a microscope there seems to be a common thread: premature hardening of arteries, increased rate of heart conditions, and premature aging. The reason that we saw this trend was increased amounts of refined sugars, salt, and saturated fats in our diets. This came about via the increased amount of processed convenience foods as well as cured and smoked foods. The offender list includes bacon, ham, deli meats, sausages, and similar fatty or salty selections.

You may wonder what, exactly, can be attributed to the saturated fats. Saturated fats have been proven to reduce the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) metabolism. The reduction of the HDL (or “good cholesterol”) metabolism retards the body's ability to fight off the dangerous plaque that builds up in our arteries. Saturated fats also reduce our body’s ability to expand arteries to increase blood flow when needed. Detrimental side effects can take place after just one meal that is high in saturated fats. A 1998 JAMA study shows that when persons that are suffering from heart disease that switching to a low-fat vegetarian diet can reverse heart disease symptoms up to 82%.

What does this sort of diet contain that would cause such a dramatic change? That’s fairly simple. Whole grains and increased fruits and vegetables are powerful tools in the fight against premature aging and heart disease. Fiber-rich whole grains reduce the fat content in the foods that they are prepared in. They also contain increased amounts of vitamins, minerals, and proteins. When high fiber is present in a diet, there is also a reduced likelihood of heart disease. Other beneficial features of whole grains are reduced instances of constipation, assists in weight management, and helps prevent neural tube defects during fetal development.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a strong medicine all their own. You will find that there are healthful substances known as flavenoids, alongside the vitamins, minerals and beneficial fiber. Flavenoids, or bio flavenoids, are members of a family of substances known as phytochemicals. These bioactive substances perform several exciting services, such as increasing your body’s ability to absorb vitamin C, aiding in platelet aggregation and improving vision while reducing cholesterol. They stimulate the immune system and protect the body from free radicals and unstable molecules that ultimately lead to chronic and degenerative diseases, as well as cell damage.

Fresh fruits and veggies can keep your skin looking much healthier as well by aiding your body in forming a stronger collagen matrix. This increased stability and increased capillary integrity keeps your skin elastic, your joints well cushioned, and keeps those spider veins at bay while allowing you to maintain that youthful glow about you. In short, when you expose your body to detrimental saturated fats and skimp on your beneficial, and potentially life saving, fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains you are dooming yourself to premature aging, increased likelihood of heart disease, reduced functionality, and ultimately signing your own death-warrant.