Buckwheat

Buckwheat is a seed from a plant similar to rhubarb.  It is not a grass or related to wheat (despite the name). It’s most common wild relative is in China. Common buckwheat was domesticated and first cultivated in inland Southeast Asia, possibly around 6000 BC; from there spread to Central Asia and Tibet, and then to the Middle East and Europe.  It has been grown in Europe for thousands of years.

Nutrition

Nutritional value

Per 100gm

Energy is 343 kcal

Carbohydrates      71.5gm

Fiber                       10 gm

Fat                           3.4gm

Protein                   13.2gm

Vitamins

Thiamin (B1)          .1mg

Riboflavin (B2)      0.4 mg

Niacin (B3)             7 mg

Pantothenic acid (B5)1.2mg

Vitamin B6             .2 mg

Folate (B9)             30 ug

To sum up the above table we can say: Buckwheat should be thought of as if it was a carbohydrate. None of the carbohydrates are present as sugars. Buckwheat is also a rich source of protein, dietary fiber, four B vitamins and several dietary minerals, with content especially high in niacin, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, copper and selenium. Buckwheat contains two flavonoids with significant health-promoting actions: rutin and quercetin. The protein in buckwheat is a high quality protein, containing all eight essential amino acids, including lysine.

Buckwheat contains no gluten.

Buckwheat around the world

Buckwheat noodles have been eaten by people from Tibet and northern China for centuries, as wheat cannot be grown in the mountain regions.

In India buckwheat is commonly eaten as buckwheat flour. i.e. buckwheat pancakes or potato slices dipped in buckwheat flour and deep fried in oil.

In Japan, Korea or northern Italy buckwheat is often eaten as noodles (replacing wheat).

In Europe and western Asia porridge is made from roasted groats and is common. Groats are the hulled seeds. Groats is the most common form of eating buckwheat worldwide. The groats can be sprouted or eaten raw or cooked.

Buckwheat pancakes are eaten in various countries cooked via different recipes.  The pancakes have an earthy mush-room like taste.

In some counties the buckwheat flour is used in yeast rolls.

Buckwheat is also used as a thickener in soups, gravies and dressings.

Buckwheat is a good honey plant, producing a dark, strong  honey.

Cooking

Buckwheat flour can replace wheat flour or be used in combination with it. Make bread, muffins or pancakes. Remember it contains no gluten so make the necessary adaptations.

Cook the grouts to make a breakfast porridge.  Recipe : one cup of buckwheat added to two cups of liquid makes four cups of cooked buckwheat. To cook bring to the boil, then simmer for twenty minutes.

Add cooked buckwheat to soups or stews to give them a hardier flavor and deeper texture.

Cooked buckwheat groats can replace rice either hot or cold as in a salad.

Health Benefits of buckwheat

Many studies have shown eating whole grains, such as buckwheat, protects against CV disease, diabetes, asthma, obesity and some cancers. It is not just the fiber which is beneficial. Whole grains are also rich in minerals, antioxidants (vitamin E, tocotrieonols, selenium, phenolic acids, and phytic acid), lignans and other phytonutrients.

When you see buckwheat as an ingredient, on a product, it is invariable whole grain buckwheat.

Compounds in whole grains that have cholesterol-lowering effects include polyunsaturated fatty acids, oligosaccharides, plant sterols and stanols, and saponins.

Like soybeans, whole grains are good sources of phytoestrogens, plant compounds that may affect blood cholesterol levels, blood vessel elasticity, bone metabolism, and many other cellular metabolic processes.

Whole grains are rich sources of lignans that are converted by the human gut to enterolactone and enterodiole. In studies of Finnish men, blood levels of enterolactone have been found to have an inverse relation not just to cardiovascular-related death, but to all causes of death.

CV disease

In China studies have shown higher buckwheat intake related to lower serum cholesterol, lower LDL and higher ratio of HDL to total cholesterol.

Buckwheat is high in rutin. Rutin is a phytonutrients that protects against CV disease.

Buckwheat is also a good source of magnesium. This mineral relaxes blood vessels, improving blood flow and nutrient delivery while lowering blood pressure.

In the USA one study showed men who had a morning bowl of whole grain cereal had 29% lower risk of heart failure.  

Diabetes

Buckwheat compared to refined wheat significantly lowers blood glucose and has a better insulin responses. In the USA and Canada research has shown that eating whole grain buckwheat helps prevent asthma and helps in the management of asthma.

Gallstones

Buckwheat because it is high in insoluble fiber helps prevents gallstones. Insoluble fiber reduces secretion of bile acids, speeds intestinal transit time, increases insulin sensitivity and lowers triglycerides.

Cancer

Fiber from Whole Grains and Fruit Protective against Breast Cancer

A diet rich in fiber has been shown to prevent risk of breast cancer. Fiber supplied by whole grains offered the most protection. Fiber from fruit was also protective.

Whole Grains and Fish Highly Protective against Childhood Asthma

Increased consumption of whole grains and fish can reduce risk of childhood asthma.

Quinoa

Quinoa is a crop grown for its edible seeds.  It is related to swiss chard and beets and is not a true grass. It has been cultivated and grown in the Andes for about 3/4000 years. In their natural state the seeds are coated with a bitter-tasting saponin (a plant-defense that wards off insects), making them unpalatable. This coating is removed before the grain is sold.

Quinoa is related to amaranth. The leaves of the growing plant can be eaten as a vegetable but are rarely for sale.

Quinoa is undemanding and altitude tolerant. In the Andes it grows for coastal regions up to 4000 meters. Can tolerate low temperatures or light frosts. Ideally it prefers rain during growth and dry conditions during seed maturation and harvesting.

Quinoa is a small light-colored grain (sometimes called a seed). It comes in a variety of colors including red, white, purple and black. Nutritionally there is no difference between the various colors.

Quinoa must be rinsed before cooking. In order to make sure the bitter saponins have been removed.

100 gm of quinoa contains 21 gm of carbohydrate, 0.8 gm of sugar, 2.8 gm of fiber, 1.9 gm of fat (all types) and 4.4 gm of protein (it contains every type of amino acid) and every vitamin and mineral except Vit C (high in several of the Vit Bs and acceptable quantities of calcium, phosphorus and iron).  Contains 500 kJ or 120 kcal per 100 gm.  It does not contain a large amount of protein relative to milk or meat but it does contain every type of protein.  It does contain a large amount of fiber and has a low GI making it very healthy.

It is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

When sold, it is sold as complete whole grained quinoa or flaked quinoa. Never as refined quinoa.

Quinoa grains: Cook one cup of quinoa with two cups of water. Simmer for 12/15 minutes. Makes three cups. Can be used as a light fluffy carbohydrate in any main course. It can be used as a rice substitute. Can be used in soups, salads.

The fakes are appearing in breakfast cereals. They can be used in any muesli you make yourself. The flakes have already been cooked.

Puffed quinoa:  quinoa that has been cooked. Puffed quinoa can be eaten raw.  As a snack or breakfast cereal.

As a flour it is difficult to buy. If you can access it it can be used as a replacement of routine flours.  It is a whole grain flour. It adds variety to your diet which adds variety to your microflora. 

Rye

Rye is a cereal grain that is longer and more slender than wheat and varies in color from yellowish brown to grayish green. Wild rye grows in Turkey and adjacent areas.  That’s where it was originally cultivated.  Since the Middle Ages it has been widely grown in Central and Eastern Europe.

Initially rye was seen as a weed in the wheat crop.  It was only appreciated after it was grown in poorer soils and colder climates (where it grew well).

Bread made partially or completely from rye is common in Europe. Rye bread, including pumpernickel, is a widely eaten food in Northern and Eastern Europe. Since its gluten is less elastic than wheat's, and it holds less gas during the leavening process, breads made with rye flour are more compact and dense.

Cooking

To cook rye grains.  Rinse the grains then add water. 4 cups of water to one cup of rye.  Makes 3 cups of cooked rye. Boil water then simmer for 1 hour. For softer grains, soak them before cooking or cook for longer.

Rye grains can be used as an alternative to rice with any meal. Serve as a side dish.

To cook rye flakes, use about three parts water for each part rye flakes and cook for about 30 minutes.

Rye flakes can be cooked as a porridge alternative. Or mixed together with oatmeal.

Rye flour can be used in bread, muffins or pancakes. Because it is difficult to separate the germ and bran (bran contains lot of nutrients) from the endosperm of rye, rye flour usually retains a large quantity of nutrients.

Nutrition properties of whole grain rye

High in carbohydrate with a lower GI than most other grains (about 76 gm of carbohydrate per 100 gm of whole grain rye).

Relatively high protein content (around 15%), with a higher lysine content than most other cereals.  Lysine is a protein reputed to be useful in preventing cold sores.

Low in fat (most of which is unsaturated). Amount of fat per 100 gm is about 1.6 gm which is very little.

High in potassium and low in sodium.

Contains B-group vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), folate and pantothenic acid.

Contains vitamin E.

Contains iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium (depending on the soil content of selenium).

Contains small amounts of copper, manganese and calcium.

Contains phytochemicals including lignans, phenolic acids, phytic acid, plant sterols, stanols and saponins.

Fiber about 15gm per 100 gm of rye. Consists of both soluble and insoluble fiber.

Health Benefits

Regular consumption of wholegrains lowers the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, asthma and diabetes.

Rye is a good source of fiber which is very good at binding to water and give you a feeling of fullness and satiety.

Rye contains more fiber than other common cereals. Typically refined rye bread contains more fiber than white wheat bread because the endosperm of rye contains twice as many cell wall components.  The main components of rye fiber are arabinoxylan, fructan, glucan and starch.  The fiber content of rye changes upon cooking.

   

Whole grains, such as rye, contain many powerful phytonutrients (Also called phytochemicals). Phyto comes from the Greek word for plant.  Phytonutrients vary but their main function in the plant is to protect the plant from germs, fungi, bugs, and other threats.  Looking at all the different plant foods eaten by man there are 25,000 different phytonutrients. Different plant foods have different phytonutrient.  Each phytonutrient goes to a different organ, tissue or cell and performs a different function. What your body needs is a wide variety of phytonutrients obtained from a wide variety of whole grains. There are more phytonutrients present in whole grain foods than refined flour.  Refining whole grain removes the bran and the germ and leaves the endosperm.  The bran and the germ contain lots of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients as well as protein, carbohydrates and some fiber. 

One type of phytonutrient abundant in whole rye grains is lignans, which is thought to protect against breast and other hormone-dependent cancers as well as heart disease. Whole grains are rich sources of lignans which have an inverse relationship to cardiovascular-related death.  Lignan (which is an anti-oxidant) is not the same as lignin which is a type of fiber.

Rye and diabetes?

Rye is unusual among grains for the high level of fiber in its endosperm – not just in its bran. Because of this, rye products (even refined rye) generally have a lower glycemic index than products made from wheat and most other grains, making them especially healthy for diabetics. The fiber present in rye leads to a rapid feeling of fullness. Recommended for those trying to lose weight. Whole rye foods can help to prevent high blood sugar levels in diabetic patients, thereby helping with blood sugar control.

The after-meal insulin response could be attributed not only to the fiber content of the rye breads, but also to the fact that the starch granules in rye bread form a less porous and mechanically firmer matrix than in wheat bread. This means a much greater particle size being swallowed when rye bread is eaten compared to wheat, which would slow the rate at which the starch could be digested into sugar.

How does rye prevent colon cancer?

People eating diets high in fiber-rich whole grains consistently have lower risk of colon cancer.  The fiber binds to the cancer-causing-chemicals removing them from the body.

Studies have also shown a connection between breast cancer and fiber. Breast cancer is more common in women eating less fiber from whole grains.

Rye has also been shown to prevent gallstones in women.

How do whole grains increase the health of the heart?

Rye helps lower cholesterol levels. The fiber binds to bile salts and removes them from the body. The body needs cholesterol to make new bile salts. Therefore the blood cholesterol level goes down.

In a meta-analysis of 7 studies including more than 150,000 persons, those whose diets provided the highest dietary fiber intake had a 29% lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those with the lowest fiber intake

Bran is rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients as well as in fiber. The majority of phytonutrients function as antioxidants.  Whole grain rye is an important source of antioxidants. Some examples are vitamin A, C and E, tocotrieonols, selenium, phenolic acids, and phytic acid. The antioxidants vary and are absorbed in different parts of the intestine.  

Whole grains lead to better insulin and blood sugar levels. And rye is the best grain at doing this. In many persons, the risks of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity are linked to insulin resistance.

Brief Summary of some medical studies involving rye. All the studies show consuming whole grain rye or other whole grains or even refined rye is good for your health.

RYE REDUCES BODY WEIGHT COMPARED TO WHEAT

Mice consuming the whole grain rye had reduced body weight, slightly improved insulin sensitivity, and lower total cholesterol.

RYE LOWERS INSULIN RESPONSE, IMPROVES BLOOD GLUCOSE PROFILE

This study showed that whole grain rye bread was best at controlling blood sugar and regulating appetite.

RYE BREAD SATISFIES LONGER THAN WHEAT

The rye bread breakfasts had decreased hunger and desire to eat, compared to the wheat bread control.

RYE PORRIDGE MORE SATISFYING FOR BREAKFAST

Rye porridge had prolonged satiating properties up to 8 hours after consumption, compared to refined wheat bread.

WHOLE GRAINS AND FISH HIGHLY PROTECTIVE AGAINST CHILDHOOD ASTHMA

Increasing consumption of whole grains and fish could reduce the risk of childhood asthma by about 50%.

FIBER FROM WHOLE GRAINS AND FRUIT PROTECTIVE AGAINST BREAST CANCER

A diet rich in fiber from whole grains, such as rye, and fruit offered significant protection against breast cancer for pre-menopausal women.

Barley

Barley is a member of the grass family and is a major cereal grown in temperate climates.  It was one of the first grains to be grown by humans. Possibly 13,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent. The wild ancestor of domesticated barley is found in grasslands and woodlands of the Fertile Crescent and northeast Africa. Fourth largest cereal crop grown in the world today though a lot of the barley is not for human consumption.

From The Bible comes the story of the feeding of the 5000. The people were fed barley bread (made from barley flour). Barley bread is commonly eaten today in Middle Eastern countries, Eastern Europe and Russia.

In the USA half the barley production goes to livestock. 25% goes to brewing beer and whiskey.  In Italy barley is also used as a coffee substitute. The barley is roasted and then ground and used instead of coffee for health and economic reasons.

Nutritional value of 100 gm of raw barley.

Carbohydrates 77.7g

Sugars 0.8g

Dietary fiber 15.6g

Fat 1.2 g

Protein 9.9g

Also contains 10% water

Contains every vitamin and mineral. Main ones being Vit B3, Vit B6, Magnesium, Manganese and Phosphorous.

The Canadian and USA government health spokesmen have recommended 3g per day of barley in order to lower blood cholesterol. Eating whole-grain barley also improves regulation of blood sugars and improves digestive health.

Barley Flakes are common in health food shops and supermarkets. The grain is steamed, rolled and then dried. Barley flakes can be made from whole grain barley or from pearl barley.  They cook faster because they have been steamed and they have a greater surface area. They look like rolled oats.

Barley is eaten after being hulled. The hull is the tough, inedible, fibrous outer layer of a grain.  After being hulled it is now a whole grain containing a bran and germ.

Barely meal/flour is made from whole grain barley. Is darker than wheat meal. Commonly eaten in soups or stews. In Australia barley flour is normally found in health food shops.   

Pearl barley means it has been polished to remove the outer bran layer. The more bran removed the whiter it looks. Although technically it is a refined grain it is considered healthy because a lot of the bran is distributed throughout the kernel (not just the outer layer) and still remains after the grain has been pearled. Pearl barley cooks quicker than whole grain barley. Whole grain barley contains more fiber and bran than pearled barley.

Barley lowers cholesterol. Why? Barley contains a soluble fiber called beta-glucan (so do other whole grains). This fiber lowers cholesterol levels by reducing the absorption of cholesterol and fat into the bloodstream. Studies show that ingesting barley lowers total cholesterol level, lowers LDL level, and lowers triglycerides. No effect on HDL levels. The more barley eaten the bigger the effect.

How much barley do you need to eat in order to notice an effect? A cup of cooked barley or half a cup of barley flakes in the food you prepare. (According to the USA FDA)  This is per day. Every day.

Barley flour can be used in baked goods instead of plain white flour. Ideally look for whole grain barley flour made from hulled barley, not from pearl barley. Barley flour contains gluten but probably not enough. Depending on what you are making you may need to add gluten if using solely barley flour.

Barley grains can be cooked and eaten with a meal. Cooking barley is similar to cooking rice.  Put the grains in a pot of water/broth and bring to the boil. Simmer until water is absorbed. Cooking time will vary depending on grain, water, pans.  The grain is cooked until you think it is tender and tasty. You may need to add more water when cooking or drain away the excess water when finished. Soaking the grains before cooking speeds up cooking times.

A guide for barley is one cup of grain to three cups of water to cook for 45 to 60 minutes. This gives you 31/2 cups of cooked grain. If uneaten the cooked grain can be stored in the fridge and re-heated later.

Omega-3:Omega-6

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA’s). This means they are missing more than one hydrogen, and have more than one carbon double bond instead. Omega-3 means that one of the double bonds in the fat chain is at carbon number 3 in the backbone.

There are three omaega-3 fatty acids essential to health. They are all liquid fats (oils). They are important in anti-inflammation. They are important in preventing chronic inflammation. They are also part of stabilizing cardiac cell membranes and in the cell membranes of the brain and the retina.

Present in a wide variety of animal and plant foods. Omega-3 is present in the oils of seeds, grains, nuts, legumes and green vegetables. (Flax seed oil, walnuts, canola oil and chia seeds). Also present in grasses and algaes which humans don’t eat. Omega-3 is found in grass-fed animals, oily algae eating fish, free range poultry and oysters. In the animals and fish it is more common in the brains, livers or eggs.  Humans also consumed as fish oil tablets in order to get omega-3.

What are omega-6 fatty acids?

Omega-6 fatty acids are liquid polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA’s) just like omega-3’s are, but they have their first double bond at carbon number 6 instead of carbon number 3. Whereas there are 3 important omega-3 fatty acids for human health, there is only one essential omega-6 fatty acid: Linoleic Acid (LA).

The omega-6 fatty acid is essential for the inflammation process. Inflammation is essential for the body to defend itself against infection or physical injuries.

Nutritionally Omega-6 comes from animal fat (10/20% omega-6) and seed oils (50-80% omega-6).

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are largely anti-inflammatory (heal yourself). Omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory (defend oneself).  Your body needs to be able to do both.

The two pathways (heal and defend) compete against each other. The balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids plays a part in determining which pathway will dominate.  There is evidence that our distant ancestors ate diets roughly 1:1. Our more recent ancestors may have had a diet of omega-6 2/4 times more common than omega-3.  The average western man has a diet containing 20/30 times more omega-6 than omega-3. The balance is tipped toward pro-inflammation and away from healing. It varies from person to person.

If you consume fish oil tablets you may have excess omega-3.   According to studies I have seen on the web excess fish oil can lead to increased risk of bleeding and reduced ability to mount an appropriate inflammatory response to infections and injuries. On the web there are case studies of people who have suffered illnesses associated with increased bleeding due to fish oil tablets. Recommended dose of omega-3 fatty acids is 1 to 2 grams per day.

A balance between omega-3 and omega-6 in the body depends on a balance between omega-3 and omega-6 in the diet.  Balance is a beautiful word and means no excess bleeding or no decreased resistance to infection due to excess omega-3. Balance means no excess inflammation. Balance means the body will defend itself from attack by mounting an inflammatory response without the inflammatory response having a bad effect on the host.

Remember anything good for you (i.e. fish oil) can be harmful if taken excessively.   Don’t take my word. Do a casual search of the internet and you will come across medical misadventures and fish oil on the same page.

Good cholesterol: bad carbohydrates

The liver makes cholesterol which is shipped to various parts off the body.  How does it know how much to make? The liver monitors the cholesterol levels inside the body’s cells and the insulin levels in the blood. If the cholesterol level in the cells is low then more cholesterol is made. Makes sense. If the insulin level in the blood stream is high then more cholesterol is made.  Not so logical. Why does a high level of insulin lead to an increase in manufacture of cholesterol?

Insulin is a hormone with many functions.  It has a role in the growth and building of more new cells. In order to form new cells more cholesterol (cholesterol is a part of all cells) is needed. A high insulin level results in a high blood cholesterol level. A high insulin level is the bodies’ way of saying it is building new cells and needs some new cholesterol.
Unfortunately in today’s society with today’s diet a high insulin level indicates a person has eaten excessive refined carbohydrates. New cholesterol is not needed. But the body orders it and the liver manufactures it.

Statin drugs interfere with the manufacture of this new cholesterol. They stop the manufacture of new cholesterol but statins also interfere the manufacture of Vit A, Vit E, Vit K so they need to be treated cautiously.
Decreasing your intake of refined carbohydrates has the same effect as statins without any side effects. Take your choice.
If you have a high level of cholesterol you have a carbohydrate problem not a cholesterol problem.
When you get your cholesterol checked LDL is often called Bad Cholesterol and HDL is often called Good Cholesterol.

HDL particles often collect the body’s excess cholesterol and take it back to the liver where it is eliminated from the body via the gall bladder. This is good. We used to think that HDL was good because it acted like a garbage truck, clearing evil cholesterol out of our bodies,
LDL particles take excess cholesterol form the liver to the rest of the body. This is bad.  It is the very same cholesterol as carried by the HDL.  It is going in the opposite direction.  We used to think that LDL was bad because it burrowed its way into our coronary arteries, depositing evil cholesterol there—forming plaques and causing heart attacks.
Numerous studies have associated high LDL levels with cardiovascular disease and high HDL levels with lower risk of heart disease (a healthy heart).


High blood sugar and insulin levels turn big, fluffy, innocent LDL particles into small, dense, oxidized LDL particles, which are associated with increased risk for heart disease.
There are a variety of different types of LDLs.  Basically the small, dense, oxidized LDL is the bad one associated with heart disease.  Research says that a diet high in refined carbohydrates leads to an increase in bad LDL and a decrease in good LDL.


There is also growing evidence that heart disease begins as inflammation in the wall of the blood vessel. There is also evidence that refined carbohydrates cause inflammation. Or to summarize, refined carbohydrates cause the initial damage to the walls of blood vessels. When the wall is damaged cholesterol rushes to the wall as part of the repair process. Cholesterol is needed to build new cells.  Cholesterol is now present at the scene of the crime.
Other research says that diets high in refined carbohydrates and high GI carbohydrates increase inflammation throughout the body especially in blood vessels.

Saturated fats

We tend to think of fat as bad. Something we need to get rid of.  We think it is ugly. We don’t think it is vital for health and happiness.  Fat is principally a lightweight, efficient source of energy.  Humans use carbohydrates and fat as a source of energy. They store fat as energy, not carbohydrates. Because humans need to move around they cannot store big lumps of starch over their bodies (which is what plants do).  The lumps of starch would have to be much bigger than the lumps of fat (fat is more efficient) and would be less flexible (humans can move around easily carrying fat) 
Saturation has diverse meanings all based upon reaching a maximum capacity. If a towel is saturated with water it means it cannot absorb any more water. It is full of water. In organic chemistry a saturated molecule contains the greatest possible number of hydrogen atoms.  A saturated fat contains the greatest possible number of hydrogen atoms. A saturated fat is a fat that consists of triglycerides containing only saturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between the individual atoms of the fatty acid chain.  All the carbon atoms are joined by single bonds (no double or triple bonds) and therefore cannot be combined with any additional atoms or radicals. The chain is saturated with hydrogen.
Most food is a combination of saturated fatty acids, mono-unsaturated fatty acids and poly-unsaturated acids.

What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fat?
If most animal fats are Saturated Fat why are so few plants Saturated Fat?
Why are animal fats normally Saturated Fats?

A saturated fatty acid is saturated with hydrogen.  It contains maximum number of hydrogen atoms. Each hydrogen atom is a store of energy.  The energy is in the carbon-hydrogen bond. Saturated fat contains more potential energy than un-saturated fat or even carbohydrates.
Saturated fats are straight molecules that pack together efficiently and take up less space than unsaturated fats or carbohydrates. They are normally solid at room temperature. If the fat was liquid then it would be difficult for the body to store.  It would be difficult to move around.
Saturated Fats are stable relative to unsaturated fats. The carbon-hydrogen bond is strong. The double carbon bonds are weak (of un-SF) and often react with oxygen. Unsaturated fats as oils often go rancid when exposed to air long time before a lump of lard or butter.

Most fats occurring in nature contain mixtures of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Olive oil contains approximately 7% saturated fatty acids. Coconut oil contains more than 80% saturated fat. Beef fat contains nearly equal parts saturated fat and monounsaturated fat (most of which is oleic acid, the primary fatty acid in olive oil) and approximately 5% polyunsaturated fat, depending on what the animal is fed. Most tables you see contain slightly different figures. That’s okay. The important thing is that most are  mixtures of different fats.  In the one particular food it will vary all the time depending on how the plant or animal is grown. Don’t look on a food as being bad or good because it contains a particular fat.  The food will contain a variety of fats, not one particular fat.  The table below contains approximations of different fats in each food.  they will vary.

​Which raises another important point. Not all fatty acids are the same.  They vary in the length of the carbon chain.  When we talk of fatty acids we normally lump them all together.  They vary and a saturated acid in coconut oil is different from the saturated acid in salmon.
Butyric acid with 4 carbon atoms (butter)
Lauric acid with 12 carbon atoms (coconut oil, palm oil)
Myristic acid with 14 carbon atoms (cow’s milk and other dairy products)
Palmitic acid with 16 carbon atoms (palm oil and meat)
Stearic acid with 18 carbon atoms (meat)

For the last fifty years the medical profession has said that saturated fats are bad and has recommended switching from saturated fats to unsaturated fats. The theory is that saturated fat and cardiovascular disease are connected.
Nowadays scientists who have looked at the relevant epidemiological studies consider this recommendation controversial.
I have looked at many of these studies and I can say:
Studies that look at replacing saturated fat with monounsaturated fats and carbohydrates are not as successful as studies that replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats. These studies were not as successful as decreasing total fats.
It is easier to prove something if you start off with people with existing CVD not with people who are initially healthy. 
I can also say that the situation at present is not clarified. Most experts are cautious. They would still recommend sticking to the current guidelines on fat consumption.
​
Form what I can see the current thinking is:
Not the same as current official guidelines or recommendations.
The hypothesis that saturated fat causes heart disease now stands on very shaky ground; it is controversial at best, if not obsolete.
There is much stronger evidence linking cholesterol dysregulation and heart disease to refined carbohydrates than to saturated fats.  Refined carbohydrates cause a spike in insulin levels in the blood and are the culprits. Not cholesterol. Not saturated fats.

From what I can see the current official Australian recommendations are:
Limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol
Limit intake of foods high in saturated fat such as many biscuits, cakes, pastries,
pies, processed meats, commercial burgers, pizza, fried foods, potato chips,
crisps and other savory snacks.
Replace high fat foods which contain predominantly saturated fats such as butter, cream, cooking margarine, coconut and palm oil with foods which contain predominantly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats such as oils, spreads, nut butters/pastes and avocado.
Low fat diets are not suitable for children under the age of 2 years.
These recommendations are not in agreement with the latest science but:

1. Nobody follows them
2. If religiously followed they are unlikely to do any harm or damage. You would not be worse off by following the guidelines.

The current official international guidelines are:
In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded that "intake of saturated fatty acids is directly related to cardiovascular risk. The traditional target is to restrict the intake of saturated fatty acids to less than 10% of daily energy intake and less than 7% for high-risk groups. If populations are consuming less than 10%, they should not increase that level of intake. Within these limits, intake of foods rich in myristic and palmitic acids should be replaced by fats with a lower content of these particular fatty acids. In developing countries, however, where energy intake for some population groups may be inadequate, energy expenditure is high and body fat stores are low (BMI <18.5 kg/m2). The amount and quality of fat supply has to be considered keeping in mind the need to meet energy requirements. Specific sources of saturated fat, such as coconut and palm oil, provide low-cost energy and may be an important source of energy for the poor."

Are saturated fats unhealthy?

Our bodies need both saturated and unsaturated fats. Saturated fats are good for things like insulation (myelin), cushioning (abdominal fat around our organs), and storage (body fat under the skin) purposes. Unsaturated fats are good for flexibility and fluidity purposes, such as in membranes and body fluids.
Saturated fats are boring chemically. They are quite stable. 
You would not want all of your body fat to be unsaturated. All of your fat would be liquid instead of firm and compact. Not only would you sag everywhere (difficult to move around because you would be very liquid), but your body would have to be bigger, because liquid fats take up more space.
Animal fats in your daily diet are naturally good sources of omega-3 fatty acids which is essential.

A long post about cholesterol, atheroma and diet

I don’t know where this diagram came from but its message is obvious.  Cholesterol in the blood above a certain level increases your chance of a heart attack. Above about 5.5 mmol/l it is bad for you.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a four ringed, lipid molecule and is biosynthesized by all animal cells. It has the formula C27H46O.

Cholesterol enables animal cells to dispense with a cell wall to protect membrane integrity and cell viability, thus allowing them to change shape and move about (unlike bacteria and plant cells which are restricted by their cell walls).  Cholesterol composes 30% of cell membranes.  It makes the membrane more flexible and maintains the cell membrane.  It means animals do not have to build cell walls as in plants or bacteria.  It means animal cells can change shape readily which means animals can move.

Cholesterol is also important in intracellular transport, cell signaling and nerve conduction.  The myelin sheath is rich in cholesterol and important for the conduction of nerves impulses.

All animal cells manufacture cholesterol, for both membrane structure and other uses, with relative production rates varying by cell type and organ function. About 20% of total daily cholesterol production occurs in the liver. Other sites of higher synthesis rates include the intestines, adrenal glands and reproductive organs.

The amount of cholesterol biosynthesized depends on the amount eaten. Eat more and you will make less. Eat less and your body will make more.

Cholesterol is present in bile and it aids the absorption of fats and fat soluble vitamins (Vit A, D, E, K).

A human male weighing 68 kg normally synthesizes about 1 g (1,000 mg) per day, and his body contains about 35g, mostly contained within the cell membranes. Cholesterol is essential for your body. It is both made internally (80%) and absorbed via food (20%). Cholesterol is also recycled in the body. The liver excretes it (via bile) into the digestive tract. Typically, about 50% of the excreted cholesterol is reabsorbed by the small bowel back into the bloodstream.

Ingested cholesterol has little effect on body cholesterol because (a) cholesterol in foods is poorly absorbed and (b) any changes in intake are compensated for by alternations in internal body production.
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The body compensates for any absorption of additional cholesterol by reducing cholesterol synthesis. If Cholesterol is absorbed via food, for the first seven hours afterwards, the concentration of cholesterol in the blood increases. Seven to ten hours after ingestion there is little, if any effect on concentrations of cholesterol in the blood.

The fraction of cholesterol in the intestines which is absorbed varies from 15% to 75%, and averages about 50%, with the remainder excreted in the feces. However absorbed cholesterol is mostly cholesterol which was excreted by the liver into the bile, not from food. Recycled cholesterol.
Cholesterol is ubiquitous. All animal cells manufacture cholesterol and all animal meats and animal products (milk, cheese and eggs) contain cholesterol.

Okay Cholesterol is important. What foods is it in?
In your diet it is commonly in fat.  That lamb cutlet with a layer of fat contains cholesterol. In the lamb fat you eat the main constituent is triglyceride. But the fat also contains other lipids such as cholesterol. Triglycerides are esters of three fatty acid chains and the alcohol glycerol.  The three chains of fatty acids are each bonded to an OH group of the glycerol.

Eating plants prevents absorption of animal cholesterol. A little bit.  Plants make cholesterol in very small amounts. Plants manufacture phytosterols (substances chemically similar to cholesterol produced within plants), which can compete with cholesterol for reabsorption in the intestinal tract, thus potentially reducing cholesterol reabsorption.

What is a fatty acid chain?
The major constituent of animal fat, triglycerides contain chains of fatty acids. A fatty acid is carboxylic acid attached to a long chain of C and H atoms. They are naturally occurring with an even number of C atoms from 4 to 28.  The carbon atoms are linked into a zig-zag chain with hydrogen atoms to the side. The more carbon atoms there are in any fatty acid, the longer its chain will be, and so the longer ones melt at a higher temperature.  The liver makes fatty acids for use by the rest of the body.  There are many different types of fatty acids and they are essential to a healthy life.

In animal fat are lipids of various types.  Fats are naturally occurring molecules that include fatty acids, oils, waxes, steroids, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesterol. So animal fat contains both fatty acids in triglycerides, fatty acids in phospholipids and cholesterol.

When we use the word fat to describe a food we are describing a mixture of triglyceride and phospholipids. Phospholipids are broken down in the healthy body to release their constituents, glycerol and fatty acids

Fat is an important foodstuff for many forms of life, and fats serve both structural and metabolic functions.  Fats serve both as energy sources for the body, and as stores for energy in excess of what the body needs immediately. Animal fats are a complex mixture of triglycerides, phospholipids and other lipids.  Triglycerides are the most common.  Triglycerides contain three fatty acid chains and glycerol. Phospholipids contain two fatty acids and phosphate and glycerol.  When we look at the lamb chop we are looking at fatty acids and glycerol.  There will be very minimal bits of cholesterol
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Many cell types can use either glucose or fatty acids for energy. Heart and skeletal muscle are good at using fatty acids. Glycerol from fats can be converted to glucose by the liver and become a source of energy.

What is the connection between cholesterol and fat?

Triglycerides (containing fatty acids), phospholipids and cholesterol are all lipids (insoluble in blood) and are transported around the body via lipoproteins.

Lipids (such as cholesterol) are not soluble in water or blood. In order to get around the body they are joined to proteins and then transported through the blood stream to the rest of the body. When lipids are joined to proteins they are called lipoproteins. In blood the main types are high-density lipoproteins or low-density lipoproteins. These are both made in the liver. HDL are normally considered good lipids. LDL are normally considered bad.

Lipoproteins. Why are they important?

Lipoproteins are special particles made of droplets of fats surrounded by a single layer of phospholipid molecules.  Phospholipids are molecules which are attached to a phosphorus containing group. They have both a polar and a non-polar end.  They carry molecules which are in-soluble in blood such as cholesterol.

Lipoproteins are the plasma lipoproteins (chylomicrons (ULDL), VLDL, IDL, LDL and HDL), the transmembrane proteins of the mitochondrion and the chloroplast and bacterial lipoproteins. 

Is too much fat bad for you?

Fat is generally considered bad for you. Major epidemiological studies that look at large groups of people are interesting. ‘The China Study’ looked at Chinese people with a very poor traditional lifestyle.  Their diet in China was very low in animal fat and dairy products and high in vegetables. Diet fat levels were half those of the USA.  Their blood cholesterol was half that of the USA. They had virtually no heart disease, diabetes and cancer. 

Initially the easy way to measure the amount of fat in your body was to measure cholesterol in the blood. There was a very good, cheap and reliable test for this. But nowadays the lipoproteins are seen as a better guide.

HDL is a lipoprotein that consists of a high proportion of protein and a little triglyceride and cholesterol. It transports cholesterol from the body to the liver and then via the gall bladder and the bile it is eliminated.  HDL normally moves through the blood system, safely and without any collateral damage to the blood vessels.

LDL is a lipoprotein that consists of a moderate proportion of protein a little triglyceride and a high proportion of cholesterol.  It carries cholesterol from the liver to the tissues of the body where it is stored.  Each LDL particle carries approximately 1,500 molecules of cholesterol ester.  In an unregulated environment the LDL molecules lead to atherosclerotic plaque formation. Atherosclerotic plaque is atheroma and means you are on the way to cardiovascular disease.  For this reason LDL is called bad cholesterol.

The average LDL particle carries 3-6000 fat molecules some of which are cholesterol. The common view is that LDL particles are bad. HDL particles are good.

Fat in your diet

Fat in your diet normally consists of triglycerols. Which is chains of fatty acids joined to glycerol. Fat in your diet comes in many ways. Saturated fats, mono-unsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and trans fats.

In saturated fats the carbon atoms are only joined by single bonds not joined by double or triple bonds. There are no double bonds between the carbons in the chain.  Saturated fats have the greatest possible number of hydrogen atoms. They are saturated with hydrogen. Therefore they find it difficult to react with other atoms or radicals. Saturated fats come from animal meats or animal products (milk, cheese) and palm oil and coconut oil. These have a higher melting point and are more likely to be solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated fats have one or more double bonded carbons in the carbon chain reducing the number of places where hydrogen atoms can bond to carbon atoms.  They have a lower melting point and are more likely to be liquid at room temperature.

Mono means there is only one double bond. Mono-unsaturated fats come from olive oil and canola oil. Polyunsaturated means there are many double bonded carbon bonds.

If the third carbon from the end is a double bonded carbon then it is called an omega -3 fatty acid. Omega 3 fats are a type of polyunsaturated fat. They are general considered good. They decrease inflammation and are good for disease such as dementia and arthritis.  Omega 3 fats come in fish oil and flax seed.

Omega 6 fat is another type of polyunsaturated fat. Omega 6 fats come from vegetable oils and nuts. Can also come from meat (animal and fish). They often react with oxygen in the air and go rancid. (Olive oil, sunflower oil) Can be neutral or protective.
Trans fats occur when you artificially heat an oil and deep fry food in it. Trans fats are normally considered the worse type of fat. They are man-made. Do not occur naturally.

How do you decrease your cholesterol level?

Your cholesterol level is a guide to your lipoproteins which are a guide to the status of your arteries (especially the coronary ones).  Your cholesterol level is important and should be known. 

Nowadays bad cholesterol levels are treated by strict dieting (low saturated fat, trans fat-free, low cholesterol foods,) and medications such as statins. Studies have shown that statins work.  They decrease bad cholesterols in the blood and decrease heart problems.