of the saturated fats linked with dementia, stearic and
palmitic acids, did not become elevated in the blood even
when their subjects consumed them in amounts as high as
84 grams per day—the equivalent of nearly eleven
tablespoons of butter! On the other hand, the highest
circulating saturated fats were measured after the subjects
consumed a high-carbohydrate diet, while eating fewer
carbohydrates led to lower circulating levels. As it turns out,
most of the body’s circulating levels of saturated fats
originate in the liver, where they are produced in response
to carbohydrates—a process called lipogenesis, or fat
creation. Other studies have demonstrated similar results,
proving that our bodies are dynamic chemistry labs that
don’t always follow simple logic—a fact often used to sell
food products, pharmaceutical drugs, or general
misinformation.^36
Saturated Fat and the Brain: Friends or
Foes?
When it comes to the impact that saturated fat has on the
brain, finding truthful answers can be tricky. Close
inspection of many animal studies nearly universally reveals
that what is reported as a “high-fat diet” for the animals is,
in reality, a toxic slurry of sugar, lard, and soybean oil.‡
This might trace back to a basic labeling oversight—lab
suppliers of rat chow often label diets meant to mimic the
Standard American Diet as simply “high fat.”