Lose Weight by Eating Fat?

Did you know that eating fat can help you lose weight?

It is true. Getting enough omega-3 fats from the diet has been shown to help overweight individuals lose weight. Before committing to a low-fat diet, make sure it is providing enough of the important omega-3 fats found in fish and fish oil.

Weight loss diets often recommend a low-fat diet. Nutrition researchers have determined that not all fat is created equal. The type of fat we eat is just as important as the amount.

A practical way to understand dietary fat is to divide fat into three categories. The first category is fat that we ALWAYS avoid, the second is fat to eat in moderation, and the third is fat that we need to make sure we eat enough of and are not deficient in. 

Always avoid: hydrogenated vegetable oils or trans fatty acids. These new-to-nature fats are implicated in the development of heart disease and other chronic diseases. 

Eat in moderation: Saturated fat and refined omega-6 fats. Small amounts of these fats are fine, but too much can clog arteries or promote inflammation.

Make sure you eat enough: Omega-3 fats (from fish) and oleic acid (from olive oil). These fats have been shown to support cardiovascular health and improve weight loss.

So how can eating fat help you to lose weight? Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil are essential nutrients that humans do not make enough of to satisfy our own metabolic needs. Recent research has shown that when we are deficient in omega-3 fats, it signals the body that it is starving for these required nutrients. This triggers our metabolism to shift into a fat-storing mode. In addition, a deficiency of omega-3 fat has been shown to increase the risk of depression.

Experts in the field of weight loss have concluded that a low-fat diet that is deficient in omega-3 fats may result in biochemical changes that trigger the body to store dietary fat instead of burning it. To make matters worse, a deficiency in omega-3 fats may result in depression, a known obstacle to initiating and maintaining necessary diet and lifestyle changes that promote weight loss.

So you may be thinking this all sounds good in theory, but show me the proof. A recent clinical trial showed significantly greater reductions in weight, Body Mass Index, and hip circumference in obese women on a weight loss diet when fed fish oil (2.8 g/day) compared to placebo.

Douglas "Duffy" MacKay, ND

Reference:
The influence of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and very low calorie diet during a short-term weight reducing regimen on weight loss and serum fatty acid composition in severely obese women. Physiol Res 2006;55:63-72.