Presenter: Chris Masterjohn, PhD

Format: MP4 Video file download
Includes: Video & Slides

Saturated fat has long been demonized as the energy source most likely to raise ?bad cholesterol? and thereby contribute to heart disease. Only recently is this beginning to change in the mainstream. Despite this, the disciplines of biochemistry and of cellular and molecular biology have been elucidating the positive and essential biological functions of saturated fatty acids for decades. Among these are included the following: regulating the fluidity of cellular membranes, anchoring proteins to membranes, and ensuring that proteins properly interact with one another and thus that proper communication takes place within and between cells. A number of specific saturated fatty acids also provide energy in unique ways that aid in improving body composition and intestinal health. Saturated fats, in fact, are so important that we synthesize many of them in large amounts from carbohydrate. This talk will explore the specific biological roles of saturated fats and conclude by discussing the health implications that these rules suggest for consuming saturated fat in the diet.