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Why are some fats more harmful than others?
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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It is believed that fats are the main enemies of our heart and the cause of a number of diseases. However, our body needs fat as fuel to obtain energy. Why are fats unequally useful for our body?
According to a new hypothesis published in The Quarterly Review of Biology, the answer to this question may lie in the interaction of fats with microorganisms in the human gut.
According to a study by researchers from the University of New Mexico and Northwestern University, certain groups of fats can promote the growth of bacteria in the digestive system.
Our bodies have evolved to have immune systems that can prevent intestinal inflammation that bacteria can cause.
“Despite the fact that there is sufficient information on the study of inflammatory processes caused by the interaction of fats with intestinal microflora, the mechanism by which fats influence the spread of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract is still unclear,” the researchers write.
Unsaturated fats are powerful antimicrobial substances. They react with the protective membrane of bacteria, weakening it.
Unsaturated fats are found in nuts, avocado, olive oil and fish. They can lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. According to research by specialists from Harvard University and the University, replacing a high-carbohydrate diet with a fat diet improves the condition of the cardiovascular system and reduces blood pressure.
For several years, scientists have been studying the interaction of fats and intestinal bacteria, as well as the so-called “early warning system” that protects the body from the products of interaction between harmful fats and microorganisms.
Experts have concluded that inflammatory processes are stimulated by animal fats, which are abundant in fried foods and fast food snacks. They are called pro-inflammatory, they have no antimicrobial properties.
When saturated fats enter the body, the human body is on the lookout for "uninvited guests" and responds to the bacterial attack with an inflammatory immune process.
The researchers do not insist on the correctness of their hypothesis, because these are only assumptions that need to be confirmed by more in-depth research in this area.