Researchers discover a new diabetes-fighting healthy fat

from the OmniVista Health Learning News Desk

Fat is your friend. And a new study shows that a recently discovered type of fat may actually help reduce your risk of diabetes.

Researchers stumbled across this new class of fat by accident while they were looking for what causes insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. And it’s associated with obesity. The researchers were checking out the level of insulin resistance in obese mice when they found that the mice had low levels of a previously undiscovered type of fat.

The researchers named this new fat FAHFA, or “fatty-acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids.” And then they discovered that humans have FAHFA too. Plus, just like in the mice, FAHFA levels are lower in humans with insulin resistance. As much as 18 times lower, in fact.

The researchers didn’t stop there. They also found FAHFA in many types of food, including beef, chicken, eggs, and—surprisingly—broccoli and apples.

When the researchers fed these foods to insulin-resistant mice, they found that the mice had better insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, along with lower levels of inflammation. All of which help fight diabetes.

It certainly makes sense that the same thing would happen when humans eat these foods. In essence, the FAHFAs in broccoli, apples, beef, chicken, and eggs may be a key to helping you prevent diabetes.

No discussion of healthy fats would be complete without mentioning monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). They’ve been shown in studies to help lower blood sugar—which can reduce your risk of diabetes. Good MUFA sources include macadamia nut oil, olives, nuts, and avocados.

The only fat you should completely ban from your diet is trans fat, which is what you get when you heat up polyunsaturated oils and partially hydrogenate them for use in packaged foods. Trans fats decrease insulin sensitivity—which ups your chance of getting diabetes.

For more on diabetes prevention – and how to work these essential fats into your diet – check out Dr. Fred Pescatore’s Metabolic Repair Protocol, which will soon be released in partnership with OVH Learning. Readers of the Weekly Digest will be among the first to get access, so keep a close eye on your inbox.

Source:

Yore MM, et al. Discovery of a class of endogenous mammalian lipids with anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. Cell. 2014 Oct 9;159(2):318-32.