learn, for instance, that the fat in an average steak is about half
monounsaturated and half saturated, with a small amount of polyun-
saturated.
The following table shows approximately how much of each type
of fat is contained in some foods.
The ABCs of Fats: Optimal Balance
Together, polyunsaturated and saturated fats contain three important
fatty acids I’ll call A, B and C fats. In the body, each of these fats is con-
verted to three different groups of hormone-like substances called
eicosanoids (pronounced i-cos-an-oids). I’ll call these groups 1, 2 and
- Basically, Afats make group 1 eisosanoids, B fats group 2, and C
fats group 3. This is a very simplified explanation, but fairly accurate;
and it’s important to understand the basics of fat metabolism because
of its powerful effect on overall health and human performance. All
these fats are important for optimal health. But when there’s an
imbalance, the result is reduced health and higher risk of disease.
An imbalance of eicosanoids resulting in too much of group 2
promotes inflammation, pain, bone loss, muscle problems, allergy,
asthma, and potentially, disease such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes,
72 • IN FITNESS AND IN HEALTH
Food % Mono % Poly % Saturated
Olive oil 77 9 14
Canola oil 62 32 6
Peanut oil 49 33 18
Corn oil 25 62 13
Soybean oil 24 61 15
Safflower oil 13 77 10
Coconut 6 2 92
Egg yolks 48 16 36
Steak 49 4 47
Cheese 30 3 67
Butter 30 4 66
Almonds 68 22 10
Cashews 61 18 21
Peanuts 50 32 18