Part 5– Nutritional Myth Series: Healthy Fats & Lipids: The Truth About Good and Bad Fats 

🧠 Healthy Fats & Lipids: The Truth About Good and Bad Fats

Discover how fats affect your health, energy, and longevity. Learn to identify healthy fats and lipids, how to balance omega-3s and omega-6s, and science-backed tips to reverse fat gain and support cardiovascular health.

Infographic showing types of fats — saturated, unsaturated, and trans — with food sources like olive oil, avocado, and butter.

Table of Content

  1. Introduction
  2. The Science of Fat
  3. Types of Fats & Sources
  4. Trans Fats
  5. Cholesterol & Atherosclerosis
  6. Phospholipids
  7. Fat Production in the Body
  8. Deep Health® Tips
  9. Key Takeaways
  10. References
“Fat” isn’t your enemy — imbalance is.

🩺 Introduction: The Misunderstood Nutrient

Healthy fats and lipids are essential to your brain, hormones, and every cell membrane. This article explains the science of fats and how to use them to achieve Deep Health®.

This article explains the science of healthy fats and lipids, how they work inside you, and how to use them to achieve Deep Health®: physical, metabolic, and cardiovascular balance.

Infographic showing types of fats — saturated, unsaturated, and trans — with food sources like olive oil, avocado, and butter.
Microscopic illustration of a lipid bilayer cell membrane showing phospholipids and fatty acid layers that protect and structure cells.

The Science of Fat

Fats (or lipids) are organic molecules made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They provide twice as much energy as carbohydrates or proteins and are vital for:

💡

Pro Tip

Healthy fats don’t make you fat — excess insulin and inflammation do.
Train your metabolism to burn fat as fuel by eating clean, moving daily, and sleeping deeply.

🍳 Types of Fats and Their Sources

Stack of butter representing saturated fats, which are solid at room temperature and commonly found in animal products and dairy.
A. Saturated Fats

Structure: No double bonds; solid at room temperature.
Sources: Butter, ghee, coconut oil, cheese, red meat.

⚡ Important Point:

Choose shorter-chain saturated fats (like those in vegetable oil) over long-chain animal fats.

Bottle of olive oil representing unsaturated fats, which are liquid at room temperature and support heart and brain health.
B. Unsaturated Fats

Monounsaturated Fats

  • Found in olive oil, avocado, and almonds.
  • Help reduce LDL and raise HDL cholesterol.
  • Anti-inflammatory and heart-protective.

Polyunsaturated Fats

  • Include Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
  • Omega-3 sources: Salmon, mackerel, flaxseeds, walnuts.
  • Omega-6 sources: Sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil.
  • Key: Keep Omega-6:Omega-3 ratio below 4:1.
Cholesterol Egg Yolks - Dr. Bomi Joseph
C. Cholesterol

Cholesterol is not the villain it’s often made out to be—it’s a vital structural molecule that keeps every cell membrane stable, flexible, and functional. It also serves as the raw material for hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids that digest fats. The real issue arises when excess LDL cholesterol becomes oxidized and trapped in damaged arterial walls, sparking inflammation and plaque formation. Balanced nutrition, exercise, and stress control don’t “eliminate” cholesterol—they restore harmony between LDL and HDL, allowing this essential lipid to perform its life-sustaining work without turning harmful.

Graphic showing that trans fats are artificial hydrogenated oils, with red warning symbols emphasizing health risks

⚠️ Trans Fats — The Industrial Error

Trans fats are chemically altered vegetable oils made to mimic butter.

Your enzymes can’t recognize them because of the “twisted” bonds— and they cause:

  • Arterial clogging
  • Increased LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
  • Decreased HDL (“good”) cholesterol
  • Chronic inflammation

⚡ Important Point:

Avoid anything labeled “partially hydrogenated oil.”

Diagram comparing a healthy artery with an atherosclerotic artery showing plaque buildup, narrowed lumen, and restricted blood flow.
Atherosclerosis occurs when cholesterol and fat deposits harden inside artery walls, narrowing blood flow and increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.

The Atherosclerosis Cycle

  1. Artery wall damage (due to high BP, smoking, or toxins)
  2. LDL cholesterol lodges and oxidizes
  3. Immune cells attack → foam cells → plaque forms
  4. Calcium hardens the plaque
  5. If it ruptures → clot → heart attack or stroke

❤️ Cholesterol: Friend or Foe?

Cholesterol is essential — it:

  • Builds cell membranes
  • Produces hormones and vitamin D
  • Helps digest fats through bile acids

The problem isn’t cholesterol itself, but oxidized LDL, which initiates inflammation inside artery walls.

 

Balancing Cholesterol Naturally

  • Increase HDL with exercise and olive oil
  • Reduce LDL by eliminating trans fats and saturated fats.
  • Control triglycerides through fasting and low-sugar diets
Call To Action
Cross-section illustration of a brain neuron highlighting phospholipid-rich cell membranes that support communication and cognitive function.
Phospholipids form the protective membranes of brain cells, supporting memory, focus, and healthy neural communication

🧠 Phospholipids — The Forgotten Heroes

Phospholipids are special healthy fats and lipids that build every cell membrane and support brain and liver function.

Top Food Sources

  • Egg yolks (rich in phosphatidylcholine)
  • Soy lecithin (vegan source)
  • Liver and organ meats
  • Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel)

Health Benefits

  • Maintain brain cell integrity and neurotransmission
  • Aid fat metabolism and liver detox
  • Improve cholesterol transport
  • Reduce inflammation
🥑

PS: Cooking Tip —

Use gentle cooking methods—high heat destroys delicate phospholipids. .

⚙️ Fat Production in the Human Body

Diagram showing how excess carbohydrate intake leads to an insulin spike that triggers fat synthesis and storage in adipose tissue.

Your body can make fat even when you don’t eat it.

When insulin stays high due to excess carbohydrates, it triggers lipogenesis—the conversion of glucose into fat (triglycerides) for storage.

Triggers for Excess Fat Production

  • High carbohydrate or sugar intake
  • Elevated insulin and cortisol
  • Sleep deprivation and chronic stress
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Endocrine disruptors

⚡ Important Point:

Control insulin by eating balanced meals, sleeping well, and training regularly.

🌿 Deep Health® Tips for Managing Fats

Photo collage showing olive oil drizzle, salmon fillet, green vegetables, and a yoga pose representing Deep Health through balanced nutrition, movement, and mindfulness.
• Use extra virgin olive oil daily.
• Eat fatty fish 2–3 times a week.
• Add avocados, nuts, and seeds to meals.
• Use sesame oil, sesame or oils shorter than coconut oil for cooking.
• Completely avoid margarine and hydrogenated seed oils.
Bottle of olive oil representing unsaturated fats, which are liquid at room temperature and support heart and brain health.
🥑 A. Acquire Healthy Fats
• Lower insulin by reducing refined carbs and sugars.
• Combine strength training and HIIT for maximum fat burn.
• Sleep 7–8 hours nightly to reduce cortisol.
• Try intermittent fasting to reset metabolic pathways.
• Avoid chronic stress and emotional eating.
Rough It approach: half plate fibrous vegetables, intact grains and legumes, whole fruit with skins—chew, fiber-first, and gut-training meals.
💪 C. Reverse Excessive Fat Accumulation
Designation
• Eat whole, natural foods.
• Avoid ultra-processed snacks..
• Keep mealtimes consistent and avoid late-night eating..
• Stay hydrated — water supports fat metabolism..
• Include fermented foods to enhance gut bacteria and SCFA production.
complete and healthy nutrition- a plate of complete and balanced meal with vegetables, whole grains, protein, and healthy fats.
🥗 B. Good Nutrition Habits
• Eliminate trans fats completely.
• Eat fiber-rich foods (oats, legumes, greens).
• Add omega-3s to stabilize plaques.
• Consume antioxidant-rich foods (berries, turmeric, green tea).
• Practice mindfulness, deep breathing, and daily movement.
Two postprandial insulin curves: a healthy curve that rises gently to a low peak and tapers with a long tail, and an unhealthy curve that spikes quickly and drops fast.
❤️ D. Reverse Atherosclerosis & Protect the Heart

🧭 Conclusion: The Deep Health® Perspective

Fat is not your enemy—it’s your body’s ally when balanced.

Use it wisely, choose it consciously, and understand it scientifically.

When your insulin, hormones, and healthy fats and lipids are in harmony, your body becomes efficient, lean, and resilient.

"Health is balance. Fat is energy. Discipline is medicine.”

Dr. Bomi Joseph Tweet

⚡ Key Takeaways: Healthy Fats & Deep Health®

🥑

1. Fat Is Essential — Not Evil

Fats fuel your brain, hormones, and cells. The goal isn’t zero fat — it’s the right kind of fat in the right balance.

🫒

2. Choose Natural, Not Processed

Use olive oil, avocados, coconut oil, nuts, and fatty fish.
Avoid trans fats and seed oils that trigger inflammation and oxidative stress.

🧬

3. Balance Omega-3 and Omega-6

Modern diets overload on Omega-6 (soy, corn, canola).
Increase Omega-3 intake (salmon, flax, walnuts) for better heart and brain health.

🔥

4. Control Insulin to Burn Fat

Excess carbs spike insulin, which stores fat.
Steady energy and fat loss come from stable insulin levels — achieved through mindful eating, fasting, and exercise.

❤️

5. Protect Your Heart, Reverse Plaque

You can reverse early atherosclerosis by:
• Eliminating trans fats
• Eating fiber and antioxidants
• Managing stress and staying active daily

References

Educational guidance only. Not medical advice. 0 / 240