The big FAT truth is here.

The association between saturated fat and insulin resistance is now well known in the evidence-based medical community. Those who eat a predominately plant-based diet have significantly less fat build up, both in their liver and in their muscle cells. If you are concerned about getting diabetes, or have been recently diagnosed, listen up.

Here is a little lesson on fat storage. Ectopic fat accumulation is the buildup and storage of fat in places it's not supposed to be, like within the muscle cells. Medical term for this, intramyocellular lipids ( intra=inside + myo=muscle + cellular=cell + lipods=fat) Saturated fat has a direct effect on skeletal muscle insulin resistance, the primary cause of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Fat cells filled with saturated fat activates an inflammatory response in the body which raises insulin resistance through a free radical production. The accumulation of excess fat in these cells cause apoptosis, where the cell literally explodes causing more oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. This can also lead to altered gene expression causing suppression of key mitochondrial enzymes like palmitoyltransferase (a big word for fat-burning enzyme). Studies show that people eating a plant-based diet with minimal saturated fat have a 60% higher expression of these fat-burning enzymes. 

Hold your horseradish! I know what you are thinking, " Did she just say that the more fat I accumulate the fewer fat burning enzymes I produce?" Yes, that's exactly what I said. Numerous studies now show that those eating a plant-based diet have less fat trapped in their muscle cells, have better insulin sensitivity, better blood sugar levels, and better beta cell function. This is the best path to preventing our nation’s 7th largest killer - Type 2 Diabetes.  

So now the type of fat, knowing the difference between unsaturated and saturated is crucial. Saturated fats, like palmitate, are found in eggs, dairy, and meat. They are also found in many processed foods, labeled under ingredients such as palm oil, or palm kernel oil. High levels of saturated fats are found in animal products, with the exception of some plant foods like coconut and coconut oil. I'll give you the fat facts about trans fats & hydrogenated oils on another day. Oh, boy! 

So how does this affect your pancreas, you ask? 

Even if saturated fats weren't associated with heart disease, its effects on pancreatic function, insulin resistance, and the increased risk of type 2 diabetes, might be enough to persuade you to avoid it. As insulin resistance increases, due to having too much fat in the muscle, your pancreas has to work overtime. Your pancreas will continue to produce extra insulin, in attempt to get your blood sugars under control. The higher your blood sugar gets, the more insulin the pancreas must produce. A viscous cycle over time that could damage the pancreas and its beta cells, the ones that make the insulin. This heavy burden could hinder the beta cell’s ability to produce insulin all together. The founders and authors of  Mastering Diabetes, refer to this as Type 1.5 diabetes. Yikes!!  

Remember, saturated fat intake remains the primary determinant of increased LDL cholesterol, contributing to our nation’s top killers - heart disease & diabetes.  

How much saturated fat should you consume? According to the U.S. National Academies of Science Institute of Medicine, AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE! 

Personally, Vineeth & I choose to avoid any product that contains more than 1.5g sat fat, and not consume more than 5g in a single day. 

Please seek nutritional truth, eat lots of plants, & strive for optimal wellbeing. You Got This!  

Michelle Mohan, NBC-HWC, CNWE

To learn more, I recommend you also watch Dr. Michael Greger's video, from Nutritionfacts.org, “Trans Fat, Saturated Fat, & Cholesterol: Tolerable Upper Intake of Zero” (It's under our Diabetes Prevention & Reversal Course section).