Word Count: 995
A Fraudulent Phobia of Saturated Fats
Over the past century, Americans have suffered notable increase in coronary heart disease. Before 1910, deaths in the US from this illness were almost nonexistent. By 1930, the toll rose to 3,000 a year. By 1960, over 500,000 Americans died annually from this ailment (“The Oiling of America,” par. 2). Fearful of escalating heart disease, Americans readily accepted theories that saturated fats, found in animal products such as meat, eggs, and fish, were the culprits; they strove to replace these ‘villains’ with ‘heart-healthy’ alternatives like vegetable oils, or imitation fats like margarine. But this did not help. Coronary Heart disease remains today’s leading cause of American mortalities (“What is Coronary Heart Disease?”, par. 7). In light of this, Americans should reconsider their phobia of saturated fat as the cause of heart disease and reverse their efforts to replace it, since saturated fat is not the primary cause of heart disease, using substitute fats incurs consequences, and saturated fat is essential to good health.
First of all, consuming saturated fat is not a major cause of heart disease. Americans have bought into the concept that saturated fat is the cause, b. But just how reliable is evidence supporting this presumption? Mary Enig, Ph.D., an expert in the field of lipid fats, points out that a majority of substantial evidence contradicts the assertion that saturated fat is a primary cause of heart disease. She observes that the media – likely motivated by vegetable oil processing companies who thrive by selling their products as alternatives to saturated fat – has often taken studies out of context in efforts to generate ample evidence. For example, the media publicized Nathan Pritikin’s diet as conclusive evidence for a fat-free diet. His patients reported weight loss, less cholesterol, and lower blood pressure. However, Enig notes, the media failed to acknowledge other aspects of Pritikin’s program which more likely yielded results – eliminate sugar, white flour and all processed food as well as use more fresh raw foods, whole grains, and strenuous exercise (4). Consequently, the study was far from producing conclusive evidence. On the contrary, tests abound which show minimal correlation between heart disease and consumption of saturated fats. For example, a trial sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, comparing mortality rates and eating habits of over 12,000 men, revealed “marginal reduction in total coronary heart disease” for those who reduced fat and cholesterol intake (qtd. in Enig 5-6).
When considered without bias, research indicates that saturated fat is not the leading cause of heart disease. Jordan S. Rubin N.M.D. Ph.D. agrees, stating that more significant culprits include “excess consumption of vegetable oils, hydrogenated fats, and refined carbohydrates; vitamin and mineral deficiencies; and the reduction and disappearance of antimicrobial fats from the food supply.” (134). Thus, in efforts to combat heart disease, Americans obsess over an insignificant factor. Endeavoring to eliminate saturated fat from their diets, Americans tediously extricate dirt from under their metaphorical fingernails, without heeding large mud smears across their faces.
BBut, by seeking out saturated fat substitutes Americans don’t merely waste their time. Use of alternative fats, specifically polyunsaturated fat, is detrimental to health. For example, many Americans replaced butter, a saturated fat, with ‘healthier’ margarine, a hydrogenated polyunsaturated fat. But, as recent research has shown, it actually increases the likelihood of heart disease: The Medical Research Council found that “men eating butter ran half the risk of developing heart disease as those eating margarine” (qtd. in Rubin 133).
In addition to actually increasing risk of heart disease, polyunsaturated fats incur a myriad of additional problems. According to an article dubbed “The Oiling of America”, excess consumption of polyunsaturated fats, including soybean oil, corn oil, and canola oil, can harm the reproductive organs and the lungs, can impair learning ability, is toxic to the liver, compromises the immune system, and can hinder infants’ mental and physical growth. Excess consumption of polyunsaturated is even linked with cancer. The article goes further, “Disruption of prostaglandin production [a result of excess consumption of polyunsaturates] leads to an increased tendency to form blood clots, and hence myocardial infarction [damage to heart tissue], which has reached epidemic levels in America.” (par. 79) As research such as this reveals, Americans’ excessive use of polyunsaturates is detrimental to their health.
Ironically, by attempting to remedy increasing heart disease by eliminating and replacing saturated fats, Americans actually exacerbate the problem. Americans need to reassess their errant conceptions of saturated fats. Instead of eliminating saturated fats, they should reincorporate them into their diet.
Reincorporating saturated fats into the diet will not only prevent harm, but provide vital benefits. Saturated fats are essential to vibrant health. As Dr. Mercola points out, “It is impossible to achieve a nutritionally adequate diet that has no saturated fat.” For, he continues, saturated fats are crucial components of cell membranes; are valuable as antiviral, antiplaque, and antifungal agents; are the “preferred fuel for the heart”; and can actually decrease heart disease risk factors (par. 13-17). Growing evidence such as this is revealing that saturated fat is integral to a healthy, balanced diet. Similar to an assembly line, where work must be distributed to all different roles in order to produce a working product, good health necessitates balance and moderation of different nutrition sources. And, to maintain this balance, saturated fats must not be eliminated. In light of the essential benefits, Americans should cease balking at the mention of saturated fat, but should strive to reestablish them in their diets.
In conclusion, Americans need to dispel their fraudulent phobia of saturated fat and reincorporate it into their diets for a number of reasons. First of all, saturated fat is unsoundly accused as the primary cause of heart disease. Secondly, replacing saturated fats with substitutes instigates even poorer health. And finally, saturated fats are essential to vibrant health, playing a crucial role in a well-balanced diet. If Americans can successfully improve their diets in this way, they will take strides in effectively battling coronary heart disease.
Works Cited
Enig, Mary, and Sally Fallon. Nourishing Traditions. Washington DC: NewTrends
Publishing, Inc., 2001.
Mercola, Joseph. “Surprise -- Saturated Fat Really Is Good For You.” Mercola.com.
September 8, 2004. May 8, 2006. <http://www.mercola.com/2004/sep/
8/saturated_fat.htm>
Rubin, Jordan S. N.M.D. Ph.D. The Maker’s Diet. FL: Siloam, 2004.
“The Oiling of America.” The Weston A. Price Foundation. April 16, 2006. <http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/oiling.html#rise
“What is Coronary Artery disease?” National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. March 2006. May 7, 2006. <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Cad/ CAD_WhatIs.html
English 1121: College Writing and Critical Reading
Student Name ______Term ______
4 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 0Thesis & Focus / Clear, well-phrased,
appropriate thesis
Effective focus
Addresses all points of the assignment. / Clear appropriate thesis
appropriate focus
Addresses all points of the assignment / Less clear thesis
minimal focus
Addresses the assignment, but slights some tasks / Inappropriate, unclear, or missing thesis
Lacks focus
Demonstrates confusion about the assignment
Organization & Structure / Order and pattern of ideas is logical, coherent, and perhaps even dramatic / Order and pattern of ideas is logical and coherent / All parts of the essay are presented, but may not be in the best order or may lack coherence / Incoherent or illogical organization
Critical Thinking & Support / Insightful critical
thinking and
reasoning.
Strategic use of
relevant and
concrete support.
Appropriate depth
of research:
sources are
relevant, credible,
varied, and of high
quality. / Sound critical thinking
and reasoning.
Effective use of
relevant and concrete
support.
Less depth of research;
sources are relevant
and credible. / Predictable thinking
and reasoning.
Adequate support. Research lacks
depth. / Little evidence of
critical thinking.
Irrelevant and
inadequate
support.
Lack of relevant
sources.
Audience Awareness & Purpose / Strong audience awareness
Rigorous; consistently engages reader
Achieves purpose / Awareness of needs and expectations of readers
Achieves purpose / Limited audience awareness
Shifting point-of-view
Weak or shifting purpose / No audience awareness
Lacks or fails to achieve purpose
Style / Appropriate and consistent tone and voice
Sophisticated language and sentence structure
College-level vocabulary / Tone or voice wavers at times
Less sophisticated language and sentence structure
College-level vocabulary / Inconsistent voice
Unnecessary repetition
Less sentence variety
Limited vocabulary / Inappropriate tone or voice
Lack of sentence variety
Basic vocabulary
Grammar, Punctuation & Spelling / Generally free from errors / There may be a few minor errors / Patterns of errors / Frequent errors interfere with readability
Documentation / Writer documents in-text and list of works cited correctly / Writer documents sources correctly, but there may be some minor errors / Writer attempts to document sources, but formatting is sometimes incorrect
Formatting is inconsistent / Documentation is missing or incorrect / Plagiarism
Essay Grade: 27/28 = 94%
Course Grade: A (94%)