in vegetable oil, with the highest levels contained in safflower,
peanut, corn, canola and soy oil, and many processed foods including
infant formulas. Too much omega-6 polyunsaturated fat, whether
from vegetable oil, processed food or dietary supplements, can
adversely affect health in two significant ways. First, an excess of
omega-6 oil can convert to a fatty acid called arachidonic acid. Too
much of this fatty acid may contribute significantly to chronic inflam-
mation, the first stage of all chronic diseases and other problems. This
is detailed below.
Second, polyunsaturated fat is easily oxidized to chemical free
radicals, making it a potentially dangerous food. Oxidation occurs
when this type of fat is heated, or exposed to light and air. When we
consume oxidized fat, this free-radical stress can damage cells any-
where in the body, speed the aging process, turn LDL cholesterol
“bad” and significantly increase the need for antioxidant nutrients.
The fat content of most people’s diet is very high in concentrated
omega-6 fats from vegetable oils and dairy products, a serious
imbalance.
One way to make polyunsaturated fat work toward optimal
health, rather than contributing to disease, is to balance consumption.
To accomplish better balance, avoid all vegetable oils and processed
food; instead, use extra-virgin olive or other recommended fats.
Before discussing this issue in more detail, let’s discuss saturated fat
because it’s part of the balancing act.
Saturated Fat
Of all the dietary fats, saturated fat is always considered the least
healthful. But saturated fat is important for energy and hormone pro-
duction, cellular functioning and other important actions much like
other fats.
Like other fat, saturated forms are made up of many different
fatty acids, some of which have been linked to ill health when con-
sumed in excess. The worst may be palmitic acid, high in dairy fat.
This fatty acid can raise cholesterol, and some of the dietary carbohy-
drate that converts to fat becomes palmitic acid. High blood levels of
palmitic acid may predict type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and
carbohydrate intolerance. However, when fats are balanced, palmitic
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