Dietary Fat: How Fats Affect Your ADHD and Body Weight

Even though dietary fat doesn’t have a great reputation among those trying to lose weight and follow a “heart-healthy” diet, it plays a tremendous role in almost every bodily function. Fat helps with temperature regulation, protection of vital organs, energy production, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), improving skin and hair condition, cell membranes formation, and boosting brainpower.

Speaking of the brain, you might wonder how dietary fat affects your ADHD symptoms. Well, did you know that the human brain is nearly 60 percent fat? Well, this probably means that eating fat is important for us. As longs as it’s a healthy fat.

The good news is everything that shows to reduce negative ADHD behaviors is almost certainly beneficial for weight management. So you don’t have to choose between improving your physique and supporting brain function!

The bad news is that with so much contradictory information out there, it can be tough to understand which fats are healthy and which ones are harmful to us. In this article, you’ll find a quick overview of different types of dietary fat and the roles they play in controlling your ADHD symptoms, weight, and overall health.

Fat is our primary energy source

Dietary fat is important for controlling ADHD symptoms and maintaining healthy body weight.

The breakdown of 1 gram of fat yields 9 calories of energy, which is twice as much as the same amount of carbs or proteins is offering. But unlike carbohydrates, fats don’t spike your blood sugar. It takes time for the body to digest them so they provide a more steady energy flow.

Rapid blood sugar ups and downs are the major problems for someone with ADHD. They cause mood swings, lack of focus, hyperactivity followed by a quick drop of energy, etc. (R) And if you’re trying to lose weight, eating high-glycemic-index foods (typically rich in fast-acting carbs) that create blood glucose spikes and consequent crashes is likely to promote “false” hunger and lead to overeating. (R) Adding fat to your meal actually lowers its glycemic load by slowing the stomach emptying.

Related: ADHD-Friendly Tips To Eat Cleaner

What I’m saying is dietary fat is not your enemy when it comes to both, reducing negative ADHD symptoms and maintaining healthy body weight. Frequent consumption of processed food and sugar is!

80% of the fat you eat is typically used by your body as energy during rest and low-intensity activities.  When the food sources exceed the immediate caloric needs, the fat is then stored in your body’s fat cells as reserved energy.

Remember, fats are calorie-dense, so it’s easy to overeat them. This is a common mistake of people who are going on a lower-carb, higher-fat diet in order to get in better shape. Even if fats come from whole foods like nuts and seeds grazing on them too often still means these people are probably eating way too many calories.

And when it comes to ADHDers, we just don’t have that strong impulse control to stop eating after one handful of these crunchy snacks. I personally can devour an entire bag without even noticing it. So we need to be more careful around fatty foods that are easy to binge on and buy only small packs or divide them into separate portions right after the purchase.

How much fat do we need?

The general recommendation for fat consumption is 20% to 35% of daily calorie intake (R) or about 0.3 to 0.4 grams of fat per 1 pound of body weight.

So a woman of my weight (120 lb) needs to eat approximately 36-48 grams of fat per day. If you divide this number into three meals you get 12-16 grams per meal.

Think 1 tablespoon of oil is about 14 grams of fat.

or 1 thumb-size portion of nuts is 7-12 grams of fat (depending on the size of your thumb)

Of course, the optimal percentage of dietary fat differs from person to person, whether she has ADHD or not. For example,

• If you’re sedentary, your carb needs are lower. So it makes sense for you to rely more on fats for energy and control your total calorie intake
• If you’re a highly active person you burn more fat throughout a day, so you can tolerate a higher intake better.
• If you are prone to insulin resistance and diabetes you will also benefit more from a lower-carb, higher-fat eating plan. (R)
• If you have endomorph body type (naturally have a wider, larger frame and tendency to gain weight), or
• You’re of a northern descent (regions that are further away from the equator) then you’ll probably respond better to a diet with fewer carbs and more fats in it.

Defining “good” and “bad” fats

Fats have three main categories:

• Monounsaturated fats
• Polyunsaturated fats
• Saturated fats

Let’s look at each type more closely.

Monounsaturated fats

This type is found in olive oil, avocados, nuts (macadamia, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, and peanuts) and seeds (sunflower, sesame). It was shown to

• Improve the blood cholesterol level (R)
• Lower the risk of heart disease and stroke (R)
• Regulate blood sugar levels (R, R)
• Reduce inflammation (R)
• Promote weight loss (R), and
• Enhance brain function (R, R)

These fats are probably the least controversial. They are given a “green light” for safe consumption in most health-related diets, including the Mediterranean, Vegan, Paleo, Keto, and so forth.

Monounsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature and somewhat susceptible to oxidation — being damaged by exposure to light, heat, and oxygen. That’s why you should store your olive and avocado oils in a  dark, cool place in a tint, glass, and airtight container.

Unlike a common belief, it’s perfectly safe to cook with extra-virgin (unrefined) olive oil. It withstands the temperatures between 320 and 410 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the quality of the product. For that reason, I’d recommend buying only the olive oils that meet certain standards for quality, purity, and authenticity. Here you can a list of brands you can buy in your local grocery store, written by the olive oil expert Tom Mueller. Of course, it’s not a complete list, keeping in mind that it was made back in 2012.

Naturally refined avocado oil has one of the highest smoke points — the temperature at which the breakdown process begins, which is about 470 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Polyunsaturated fat

The two essential Polyunsaturated fatty acids — Omega-3 (Linolenic acid) and Omega-6 (Linoleic acid) can not be made by the body and must be consumed with food. They also have very different functions in the body.

Omega-3s

These fatty acids are found in cold-water fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, rainbow trout, herring, sardines, anchovies), shellfish (oysters, mussels), flaxseeds, and walnuts. You can also supplement with fish oil, algal oil (a great option for vegans), or krill oil.

Keep in mind that plant-based sources contain ALA (Alpha-linoleic acid), the shortest Omega-3. Even though it’s called essential, in the human body, it cannot be adequately converted to its derivatives EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) (DHA) found in fish and seafood and responsible for most Omega-3 benefits. (R)

And the list of benefits is exceptionally broad. It includes:

• Brain health
  • Numerous studies have shown that Omega-3s intake helps fight depression, anxiety, aggression, hostility and anti-social behavior, inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and schizophrenic disorders. (R, R, R, R, R, R, R)
  • Improves learning and memory. (R, R, R)
• Possible weight loss effect when combined with lifestyle modifications (R, R, R, R)
• Slower aging, including the onset of mental decline and dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. (R, R, R, R)
• Heart health (R, R, R, R, R)
• Reduced chronic inflammation (R, R, R, R)
• Fetal development during pregnancy (R, R, R, R, R)

And much more.

Choose low-mercury, wild-caught, smaller fish like the ones listed above to reduce your risk of exposure to contaminants. Avoid fish such as swordfish, shark, tuna, tilefish, halibut, and Chilean sea bass as these have the highest levels of heavy metals and toxins. Go to www.ewg.org for more details on safe for consumption.

If you’re taking a fish oil supplement, it’s important to look for a high-quality product — third-party tested for heavy metals, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), and residual solvents, produced in a natural triglyceride form which is considered the most bio-available (easily digestible), sustainably harvested and contains the desired concentration of EPA and DHA.

Additionally, you want to keep your fish oil in a dark container in the fridge as it’s highly susceptible to oxidative damage. It may be a good idea to open up a capsule every once in a while and smell the oil to make sure it hasn’t gone rancid.

It’s best to take your supplement with a high-fat meal to increase its absorption.

Omega-6s

 These fatty acids are found in smaller amounts in fruits, vegetables, grains, wheat germ, nuts, eggs, meat, and poultry, and in large amounts in industrially processed oils, like safflower, grapeseed, sunflower, soybean, cottonseed, and corn. 

Omega-6s play an important role in brain function, maintenance of bone health, stimulation of skin and hair growth, metabolism regulation, and reproductive system support. The problem is that refined oils are excessively abundant in the modern diet. 

For most people, it is advised to keep the ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids under 4:1, respectively. Generally speaking, Omega-6s have pro-inflammatory, while Omega-3s have an anti-inflammatory effect. And they work perfectly together when correctly balanced. Unfortunately, in Western diets that are heavily reliant on vegetable and seed oils, the ratio is about 16:1. (R)

Diet high in Omega-6s encourages systemic inflammation, promotes weight gain, autoimmune diseases, premature aging, hormonal imbalance, and even aggressive behavior and depression! (R, R, R, R, R)

A growing body of evidence shows that the consumption of PAFs in the form of industrial oils has significant adverse effects on our health. Along with disrupting Omega-6/Omega-3 balance they are also genetically modified, contain harmful additives, easily turn rancid, and become even more toxic when reheated.

Trans fats

When so-called “heart-healthy” vegetable and seed oils are exposed to light, heat, and chemical refinement which happens during the hydrogenation process, trans fats are created. Even though they were considered safe for about half a century, in more recent years, we’ve finally come to an understanding that trans fats are dangerous to our health. They produce chronic inflammation, promote abnormal internal cholesterol production, and thus, play a huge role in the development of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and even breast cancer. (R, R)

The primary purpose of hydrogenation is extending the shelf life of foods. It hardens the oil, giving it solid, butter-like consistency at room temperature. You’ll find it in margarine, vegetable oil spreads, ice cream, cakes, cookies, other baked and junk foods. These products contain harmful dietary fat and should be mostly avoided, especially by people with ADHD whose brains are much more sensitive to their pro-inflammatory effects.

Related: ADHD and Appetite Control

Not to be confused with naturally occurring trans fat called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) mainly found in grass-fed animal meat and full-fat dairy products. Unlike the artificial type, CLA actually lowers the risk of heart disease, fights inflammation, improves insulin sensitivity, reduces the percentage of body fat, and boosts metabolism. (R, R, R, R, R, R)

Saturated fat

And last but not least, Saturated fat, the type that was demonized for so many years. These fatty acids are typically associated with animal fats found in butter, cheese, whole milk, marble steaks, and processed meats like hot dogs and pepperoni. They are generally believed to increase the “bad” LDL blood cholesterol, which leads to cardiovascular disease.

The effects on weight and health in general.

In reality, not every source of Saturated fat is bad for you!

If we’re talking about Saturated fat in highly processed foods like pizza, sausages, nuggets, ice cream, desserts, chips, tortillas, and tacos which is accounted for more than a third of saturated fat consumption in the US, then there absolutely will be some adverse health consequences to this kind of diet.

On the other hand, you can eat high-quality animal foods like meat and poultry, real butter, and whole eggs, especially when they are naturally raised, organic, grass-fed, etc; as well as plant-based foods like raw cacao, dark chocolate, unrefined coconut oil, and some nuts (like Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, and cashews). These are all healthy and nutritious sources of dietary fat that are good for your ADHD brain and overall wellbeing!

In fact, the current evidence against total saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, in particular, is so incredibly weak that after about 50 years of fat demonization, in 2015, the US Dietary Guidelines for the first time removed their advisory that we should limit dietary fat and cholesterol intake to avoid weight gain and heart disease. It was finally acknowledged that cholesterol in the diet doesn’t cause the common chronic, life-threatening diseases as most of us were previously told. (R, R, R, R)

Interesting facts: Did you know that only 25% of total cholesterol in the body comes from diet, and 75% is produced by the liver? Also when you eat more cholesterol, your body normally responds by making less. This happens for a good reason. Cholesterol is not our enemy! We need it for many important processes in our body. For example, our sex hormones (such as estrogen and testosterone), as well as our main stress hormone cortisol which we require for morning arousal and alertness, are made of cholesterol. Indeed, an artificial reduction in serum cholesterol does not prevent the risk of

More recent studies and Meta-analyses (the highest-quality evidence on a research topic that analyzes many studies simultaneously) have concluded that there is no strong evidence that Saturated fat on its own is the culprit. (R, R, R, R) Only when consuming it together with refined grains and sugar which increases systemic inflammation, we start having a problem as large LDL cholesterol gets converted into small, dense LDL (the one that clogs the arteries). The bottom line is most healthy people can tolerate a high intake of saturated fat well, as long as it comes from whole foods and the total calorie intake doesn’t exceed the energy requirements. (R)

What about dietary Saturated fat intake and ADHD?

First, I’d like to pinpoint that the most problematic foods for ADHD symptoms are

• Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup
• White flour and other processed grains
• Any artificial ingredients including most sugar substitutes
• Foods that were treated with pesticides
• Allergens and foods that cause sensitivities
• Foods that cause an imbalance in the Omega-6/Omega-3 fatty acids ratio. (R, R)

That being said, if you often eat highly-palatable foods high in saturated fats and any of the ingredients listed above you can absolutely expect your symptoms to get worse mainly because this diet increases inflammation throughout the body and induces “false” hunger. Otherwise, eating dietary Saturated fat doesn’t show to promote any negative outcomes for your ADHD.

If you want to eat a diet that promotes healthy body weight and is good for your ADHD brain you should be more focused on controlling your blood sugar and reducing inflammation.

Additionally, I wanted to give a shout-out to coconut oil. It is mainly made up of a medium-chain fatty acid (sometimes referred to as MCTs or medium-chain triglycerides) called lauric acid. Its consumption has antiviral, antibacterial, and antioxidant effects. (R) Saturated fat in coconut oil can be rapidly metabolized by the body and is more likely to get burned as energy rather than stored as fat. In fact, it’s a great fast source of energy that, along with carbohydrates, can be used to fuel the brain (R, R). MCT oil that’s also sold as a supplement is shown to reduce hunger and enhance fat burning. (R, R)

Cooking with Saturated fats

Most saturated fats, like butter, ghee, coconut oil, and lard, are solid at room temperature. This property makes them stable and resistant to oxidative damage. Therefore, they are good choices for medium to high heat cooking.

Conclusion.

1. Fat is an essential macronutrient. This means we can’t leave without consuming it. Fat plays a role in almost every bodily function.
2. Dietary fat doesn’t make you fat as long as your daily calorie intake doesn’t exceed the requirements! Frequent consumption of processed food and sugar is.
3. Fat is the most calorie-dense macronutrient. So it’s easier to overeat it, especially for someone with ADHD who has weaker impulse control.
4. For an average person, 20% to 35% of her daily calorie intake should come from fats.
5. When it comes to fat consumption, you want to go less refined by avoiding processed baked and fried foods and reducing the consumption of hydrogenated seed- and vegetable oils high in Omega-6 that have a detrimental effect on ADHD symptoms.
6. Eat seafood once or twice a week, especially cold-water fish (such as salmon), or take fish oil supplements to increase the levels of beneficial for ADHD Omega-3s. Choose raw nuts and seeds, pasture-raised eggs, and grass-fed meat, poultry, and full-fat dairy (like cheese, butter, or ghee) all of which have a better fatty-acid profile.
7. Saturated, as well as monounsaturated fats, are more resistant to heating than polyunsaturated fats, which makes them better choices for cooking.
8. Oils high in polyunsaturated fats, particularly fish oil, walnut oil, and flaxseed oil, should be kept in a dark container, in a refrigerator.
9. Cooking oils should be stored tightly capped in a cool, dark place. Don’t keep oil next to the stove. Ceramic tinted glass bottles are better choices for the storage.

My Favorite Fat Sources

*It is recommended to soak nuts and seeds in water to improve their digestion