Fats – Misattributed and Misunderstood
Foundational Texts on Lipid Biology
Alberts, B., Johnson, A., & Lewis, J. et al. (2014). Molecular Biology of the Cell. Garland Science.
Provides a detailed examination of lipid structure, metabolism, and their role in cellular processes.
Taiz, L., Zeiger, E., Møller, I. M., & Murphy, A. (2015). Plant Physiology and Development. Sinauer Associates.
Explores lipid synthesis during photosynthesis and their centrality to plant energy storage.
Berg, J. M., Tymoczko, J. L., & Stryer, L. (2015). Biochemistry. W. H. Freeman.
Comprehensive insights into lipid metabolism and their physiological roles.
Evolutionary Role of Fats in Human Diets
Aiello, L. C., & Wheeler, P. (1995). “The expensive-tissue hypothesis: The brain and the digestive system in human and primate evolution.” Current Anthropology, 36(2), 199–221.
Examines the role dietary fats played in fuelling human brain expansion, highlighting the metabolic trade-offs between brain development and digestive adaptations.
Leonard, W. R., & Robertson, M. L. (1997). “Comparative primate energetics and hominid evolution.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 102(2), 265–281.
Discusses the metabolic role of dietary fats in supporting the energy-intensive development of the human brain, contrasting it with other primate species.
Wrangham, R. W. (2009). Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human. Basic Books.
Explores how cooking increased access to dietary fats and shaped human evolution.
Types of Fats and Their Biological Roles
Calder, P. C. (2015). “Functional roles of fatty acids and their effects on human health.” Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 39(1 Suppl), 18S–32S.
Explores the critical roles of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in regulating inflammation, cell signalling pathways, and overall metabolic health.
Kang, J. X., & Leaf, A. (1996). “Evidence that free polyunsaturated fatty acids modify Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity in cardiac myocytes.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 93(8), 3542–3546.
Details the role of polyunsaturated fatty acids in regulating cellular function, particularly their protective effects on cardiovascular health through modulation of cardiac cell activity.
Simopoulos, A. P. (2002). “The importance of the omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acid balance.” World Review of Nutrition and Dietetics, 92, 1–22.
Explores the evolutionary significance of the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio, highlighting its implications for inflammation and chronic disease risk in modern diets.
Dietary Fats and Modern Health
Micha, R., Peñalvo, J. L., Cudhea, F., et al. (2017). “Association between dietary factors and mortality from heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes in the United States.” JAMA, 317(9), 912–924.
Evaluates how saturated fats and processed oils significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, contributing to higher mortality rates.
Ludwig, D. S., & Willett, W. C. (2013). “Dairy foods and obesity: Perspectives from evolutionary biology.” JAMA Pediatrics, 167(9), 788–789.
Discusses the metabolic impacts of saturated fats derived from dairy, highlighting their implications for obesity, insulin resistance, and related metabolic disorders from an evolutionary perspective.
Hu, F. B., & Willett, W. C. (2002). “Optimal diets for prevention of coronary heart disease.” JAMA, 288(20), 2569–2578.
Discusses how diets high in saturated fats contribute to increased inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk, highlighting dietary strategies for reducing coronary heart disease incidence.
Misconceptions About Saturated Fats
Harcombe, Z. (2017). “Dietary fat guidelines have no evidence base: Where next for public health nutritional advice?” British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51(10), 769–774.
Critiques historical nutritional guidelines that broadly demonised dietary fats, highlighting the nuanced and complex roles fats play in health and disease.
Spector, A. A. (1999). “Essentiality of fatty acids.” Lipids, 34(Suppl. 1), S1–S3.
Highlights the essential roles unsaturated fatty acids play in cellular function, metabolic regulation, and maintaining overall human health.
Bang, H. O., Dyerberg, J., & Sinclair, H. M. (1980). “The composition of the Eskimo food in north western Greenland.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 33(12), 2657–2661.
Examines the Inuit dietary paradox, highlighting cardiovascular health outcomes despite high-fat intake, and explores the implications of omega-3 fatty acid consumption on lipid metabolism and inflammation.
Fibre’s Role in Mitigating Fat Risks
Jenkins, D. J., Kendall, C. W., McKeown-Eyssen, G., et al. (2008). “Effect of a low–glycemic index or a high–cereal fibre diet on type 2 diabetes: A randomized trial.” JAMA, 300(23), 2742–2753.
Explores dietary fibre’s ability to counteract negative metabolic effects of saturated fats and improve glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes.
Slavin, J. L. (2005). “Dietary fibre and body weight.” Nutrition, 21(3), 411–418.
Explores dietary fibre’s role in reducing the absorption of dietary fats, supporting healthy weight management and improved metabolic outcomes.
Sonnenburg, E. D. & Sonnenburg, J. L. (2014). “Starving our microbial self: The deleterious consequences of a diet deficient in fibre.” Nature Reviews Microbiology.
Links fibre to gut microbiota health and the regulation of lipid metabolism.
Inflammatory Impacts of Dietary Fats
Calder, P. C. (2020). “Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes.” Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, 1865(11), 158741.
Explores the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fatty acids, highlighting their potential for reducing chronic inflammation and supporting systemic metabolic health.
Hotamisligil, G. S. (2006). “Inflammation and metabolic disorders.” Nature, 444(7121), 860–867.
Examines the relationship between dietary fats, chronic inflammation, and the development of metabolic disorders, highlighting dietary factors as key drivers of systemic inflammation.
Environmental and Health Costs of Modern Fats
Poore, J., & Nemecek, T. (2018). “Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers.” Science, 360(6392), 987–992.
Discusses dietary impacts on environmental sustainability, emphasising plant-based diets as effective strategies to significantly lower ecological burdens and enhance planetary health.
Willett, W., Rockström, J., Loken, B., et al. (2019). “Food in the Anthropocene: The EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems.” The Lancet, 393(10170), 447–492.
Advocates dietary shifts towards reduced reliance on animal-based fats, promoting plant-focused eating patterns to improve both planetary sustainability and human health.
Steinfeld, H., Gerber, P., Wassenaar, T., et al. (2006). Livestock’s Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Examines the significant environmental and health impacts associated with livestock production, particularly highlighting issues related to animal-derived fat consumption and its global implications.