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Dietary Fat

Understanding Fats in Your Diet

Dietary fat is an essential macronutrient that your body needs for hormone production, vitamin absorption, cell membranes, and brain function. Despite decades of being vilified, research increasingly shows that natural fats—including saturated fats from whole foods—are not the villains they were made out to be. The real concern lies with highly processed seed oils and trans fats. For people following low-carb or keto diets, fat becomes the primary fuel source, and eating adequate fat is crucial for satiety and energy. Understanding the difference between natural fats from meat, fish, eggs, and dairy versus industrial seed oils helps you make healthier choices.

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  Research (1)

Randomised trial of coconut oil, olive oil or butter on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in healthy men and women

Kay-Tee Khaw, Stephen J Sharp, Leila Finikarides, Islam Afzal, Marleen Lentjes, Robert Luben, Nita G Forouhi

bmjopen;8/3/e020167 2018

Butter raised LDL; coconut oil didn’t—despite having more saturated fat (94% vs. 66%). In this 4‑week test, coconut oil matched olive oil for LDL and boosted HDL, and inflammation didn’t rise.