Your Genes: use of dietary fat

The Vitl Nutrition Team / 27 Nov 2019

Did you know your individual genetics can tell you whether you are slightly, moderately, highly or not likely to experience adverse health effects when consuming a diet high in saturated fats?

What is saturated fat?

Saturated fat is a type of fat that is found predominantly in animal products such as cream, cheese, butter, other whole-milk dairy products, and fatty meats. Saturated fats tend to have higher melting points and therefore tend to be solid at room temperature^1,2.

Saturated fat in your diet

There has been a decade-long debate about which type of fat is healthiest and how much fat you should eat. Monounsaturated, saturated, unsaturated... Should you avoid eating altogether or to be on a high-fat diet? It’s natural to be a bit confused about the arguments on both sides of the debate and the medical literature is full of opposing views on this topic^{1,2, 11}.

The important part is how your individual body responds to dietary saturated fat. Research has shown that genetics can influence how you respond to a diet that is high in saturated fats, including associations between high intake and weight gain. This could indicate whether you would benefit from a Mediterranean and/or high-protein diet^3,7,8,9.

Your DNA

Often most of us feel confused about fats, which is understandable. After all, a few years ago, all fats were considered as bad for our health. Now, we know that good fats (found in avocados, nuts, olives, and salmon for example) aren’t just beneficial for your skin and hair, but are also beneficial for your cardiac, immune and nervous systems^10,11. Experts say you should aim to get about 20% of your calories a day from healthy fats. You should also be cautious around products labelled as ‘low-fat’ as this could mean they have a higher amount of sugar in them!

At Vitl, we aim to end the confusion with our DNA Nutrition Test and finally help you understand your body’s genetic relationship with saturated fat. Find out whether a high-fat diet is right for you and take advantage of our Black Friday deal.

Get DNA Nutrition Test for 40% off at £69 (down from £119!) for a limited time!

Scientific publications

The Vitl Nutrition Team

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