Does Fat Make You Fat?

Does eating fat make you fat?

Not at all — when you choose the right ones! The real question is: Do you know the difference between bad fats and good fats?

The Problem with Bad Fats

Bad fats are mostly refined, highly processed, and hydrogenated oils that are very difficult for your body to break down, metabolize, and digest.

In our modern Western diet, these toxic polyunsaturated oils are everywhere. They create chronic inflammation in the arteries, which signals your body to deposit cholesterol as a healing “Band-Aid.” Your body is incredibly intelligent — it doesn’t produce and deposit cholesterol for no reason. It uses cholesterol to repair damage.

The issue arises when inflammation becomes constant. Your body keeps laying down that “Band-Aid” over and over, which eventually leads to plaque buildup. Remember, cholesterol is meant to patch problems occasionally — not coat the entire inside of your arteries!

Stay Away from These Bad Fats:

• Vegetable oils

• Peanut oil

• Sunflower oil

• Margarine

• Canola oil

• Soybean oil

• Shortening

• Farmed, hormone-laden animal fats

These highly refined, hydrogenated oils are found in almost every processed food on grocery store shelves and in restaurant deep fryers. They’ve been altered so much that your body no longer recognizes them as usable fuel. Think about it: these oils can be heated repeatedly without going bad. If it takes more than hot water and strong detergent to clean them out of factory vats, imagine how hard it is for your body to clear them from your system!

You’ll find these bad fats hiding in:

• Fried foods (doughnuts, French fries, fast food)

• Baked goods (cookies, cakes, pastries)

• Processed snacks (crackers, microwave popcorn, chips)

Good Fats Can Actually Help You Stay Leaner

Natural saturated fats have been part of the human diet for thousands of years with no ill effects — when they’re in their original, unprocessed form.

Good fats (whether saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated) still have their natural chemical structure intact. This means your body can easily break them down and use them as essential building blocks for optimal health. Eating the right fats can actually help lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and unhealthy cholesterol levels.

Good fats act like lubrication for your brain, joints, and entire body. They are powerful anti-inflammatories. Your brain is the fattest organ in your body — made up of at least 60% fat — so it makes perfect sense that fat deficiency can lead to poor brain function and increased inflammation. Chronic inflammation is at the root of many issues, including arthritis, heart disease, high cholesterol, digestive problems, allergies, joint and muscle pain, and even mental health challenges.

Some of My Favourite Good Fats:

• Nuts (almonds, cashews, organic peanuts, pecans, walnuts)

• Oils (virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil)

• Grass-fed cow meat and butter

• Avocados

• Omega fatty acids (a good balance of 3s, 5s, 7s, 9s, and 6s)

• Wild-caught fish fats (mackerel, salmon, cod, herring)

• Chia seeds

• Flax seeds

Why Omega Fatty Acids Matter

All omega fatty acids play important roles in health. When balanced properly, good fats can help:

• Prevent coronary heart disease and stroke

• Reduce depression

• Prevent diabetes

• Support healthy nerve activity

• Improve vitamin absorption

• Maintain a strong immune system

• Promote healthy cell development and lung function

• Lower the risk of low birth weight in infants

• Reduce pain and inflammation

Interesting Facts about Fats

Grass-fed beef can actually be higher in omega-3s than fish in some cases! While fish often has a good omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 2 or 3 to 1, grass-fed beef from certain sources can reach an impressive 0.16 to 1. (Study from Iowa State University, August 2001)

In our family, we love dōTERRA xEO Mega. It’s a beautiful blend of CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils with marine and plant-sourced omega fatty acids. It supports joint, cardiovascular, brain, and immune health.* One daily dose gives you 950 mg of marine lipids (including 300 mg EPA + 300 mg DHA), plus plant-based omegas, natural vitamin D, vitamin E, and astaxanthin — a powerful antioxidant.*

How to Help Your Body Clear Out the Bad Fats

• Add 1–2 drops of lemon oil (or other citrus oils) to your drinking water daily. Citrus oils are wonderful at helping break down fats and even petrochemicals. Don’t be surprised if you notice greasy residue when you clean your toilet bowl!

• Take dōTERRA TerraZyme digestive enzyme complex. It contains 10 different enzymes that help break down fats, proteins, starches, fibers, sugars, and more. I personally take 2 in the morning, 1 midday, and 2 at night.