Analysis by Ashley Armstrong STORY AT-A-GLANCE The Western diet has shifted dramatically from saturated fats to polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) over the past century, coinciding with declining life expectancy and rising chronic disease rates in the U.S. Dietary fats play crucial roles beyond energy provision, including cellular structure, hormone production, nutrient absorption, and metabolic signaling. High-PUFA diets may trigger hibernation-like signals in your body, potentially resulting in a lower metabolic rate, increased stress, and fat gain PUFAs are prone to oxidation, producing toxic byproducts that can damage proteins, DNA, and cellular components. Excessive PUFA consumption may also interfere with thyroid hormone
[More]