Good fat, bad fat

Isabelle

There’s a lot of confusion around fats – which ones are good, bad, and how much you actually need. Your body needs fat from food to help absorb some key vitamins and minerals. Fat is needed to build cell membranes and produce hormones. For women trying to optimize our fertility and hormonal health, getting the right fats is essential. Let me break it down:

THE GOOD FATS:

Monounsaturated Fats – The Fertility Boosters

  • Good sources: avocados, olive oil, sesame oil, some nuts and seeds
  • Benefits: Help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), anti-inflammatory for regular ovulation and fertility. A Harvard study found that women undergoing IVF who ate the most monounsaturated fats (25% of calories) had a remarkable 3.4 times higher live birth rate compared to those eating the least (only 9% of calories from monounsaturated fats). So eat those avocados – they are truly a fertility superfood!

Polyunsaturated Fats (Omega-3s & 6s) – The Egg & Sperm Protectors

  • Good Sources: Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, ling cod, sardines), walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds, fish oil supplements, seaweed, algae
  • Benefits: Anti-inflammatory, protect egg & sperm quality, enhance fertility and promote regular ovulation. Aim for 8-12 oz fatty fish per week.


Our bodies need both polyunsaturated fats omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, but it’s all about getting them in the right balance. You see, omega-3s help reduce inflammation, which is so important for overall health. Omega-6s, on the other hand, can actually promote inflammation if we get too much of them compared to omega-3s. Now, here’s the tricky part – our ancestors’ diets had a nice balance of around 1 to 4 times more omega-6s than omega-3s. But nowadays, with our modern Western eating patterns, we’re averaging a whopping 15 to 20 times more omega-6s! That’s a huge imbalance.

And unfortunately, this lopsided ratio with way too many omega-6s is believed to contribute to chronic inflammation in the body. That constant internal fire can then increase our risk of conditions like heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders over time. Examples of Omega 6s: Vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, safflower, soybean oil, conventional meats (non-organic), some nuts (pine nuts, sunflower seeds).

Saturated Fats in Moderation – The Hormone Helpers

  • Sources: Grass-fed butter/full fat dairy, organic eggs, grass-fed beef and wild game, coconut oil
  • Benefits: Provide building blocks for reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone. Grass-fed butter is rich in CLA which has been found to improve fertility in both men and women and butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that has anti-inflammatory properties and supports the health of the gut microbiome.


Studies have found that grass-fed beef (and its by-products) and wild game animals like benison and bison contains 2-6 times more omega-3 fatty acids than feedlot/grain-fed beef. This improves the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids to a healthier level. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that are easily burned for energy and have antioxidant, antimicrobial and antifungal properties to support the immune system. It also helps regulate thyroid function and insulin sensitivity which are important for fertility.

THE BAD FATS:

Trans Fats: Strictly avoid these man-made fats found in fried foods, margarine, and commercial baked goods – they increase inflammation, negatively impact fertility health and insulin resistance.

Excessive Saturated Fats: While some is needed, too much fatty meat, butter, and lard can be harmful.


So how much fat should I eat?

  • Monounsaturated: Use liberally – 1-2 tbsp olive oil/sasame oil, an avocado, a handful of nuts daily
  • Polyunsaturated: Around 10% of daily calories like fatty fish, seeds
  • Saturated: Less than 10% of daily calories – around 1 tbsp grass-fed butter/lard and a thumb-size cheese per meal


How do I balance the Omega 3:6 ratio?

  • Change up your cooking oil! Eliminate or minimize use of refined vegetable/seed oils high in omega-6 like corn, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, soybean oils. Also, avoid processed/fried foods made with these oils. Extra Virgin Olive oil and canola oil have more moderate omega-6 levels. Flaxseed oil which has an optimal 1:6 omega 6 to omega 3 ratio is great for salad dressings.
  • Nuts in moderation – Even though they are nutritious, they should be limited to a handful a day. Sunflower seeds, almonds and cashew nuts are high in omega 6.
  • Increase intake of omega-3 rich foods: Eat fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines 1-2 times per week
  • Choose grass-fed/pasture-raised meats and eggs which are higher in omega-3s
  • Include plant sources of ALA like flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts
  • Consider an omega-3 supplement:Fish oil, krill oil or algae-based vegan EPA/DHA supplements can help increase omega-3 intake

The key is balancing these good fats while limiting the bad ones for optimal hormonal and fertility health.