COFFEE IS GOOD FOR ADULTS--CAN EATING FAT ALSO BE HEALTHFUL?

From Time magazine (Read the full story here.):

With the pivotal November elections looming, President Donald Trump’s approval rating earlier this month dropped to the lowest point of his second term—and the lowest level of any President heading into the midterms in decades. Trump’s approval rating fell to 30% in early October, according to the Pew Research Center. The last American President with a comparably low approval rating this close to the midterms was Harry Truman in 1946.

He today cancelled rallies in two key states, Kansas and Iowa.  Why?  Mind you, some countries think well of him.  Like Nigeria and Israel.

Nothing much else newsworthy.  So here is a video summarizing today.

Top U.S. & World Headlines — October 29, 2026

On Thursdays I tend to feature medical topics.  Growing up, we are told to avoid certain kinds of food.  At one time, for example, coffee was bad for your health. Now, a lot of coffee is good.  What is a lot?  I asked Google AI:

For most healthy adults, 2 to 4 cups (8 ounces each) of black coffee per day is considered the ideal range for maximizing health benefits, while up to 5 cups (or 400 mg of caffeine) is safely tolerated by most people. [1, 2]

Further:

The Sweet Spot: Drinking 2 to 4 cups daily is most strongly linked to lower risks of type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart failure, and cognitive decline. [1, 2]
Caffeine Limit: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the American Heart Associationrecommend capping daily caffeine intake at 400 milligrams, which equals roughly 3 to 5 standard 8-ounce cups of brewed coffee. [1, 2]

Keep It Black (or Simple): Health benefits apply primarily to black coffee. Adding heavy amounts of sugar, flavored syrups, and cream can increase calories and diminish the metabolic and heart-protective perks. [1]
Filter Your Brew: Paper-filtered or instant coffee traps natural compounds called cafestol. Unfiltered methods (like French press, espresso, or Turkish coffee) keep cafestol in your cup, which can raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol. [1, 2]
Know Your Limits: Tolerance varies by body weight, metabolism, and individual sensitivity. Pregnant individuals, people with certain heart rhythms, or those prone to anxiety and insomnia should consult a doctor or lower their intake. [1, 2]

Okay, so coffee is good for adults.  Can a small amount of coffee be good for children?  I asked:

Multiple scientific studies and pediatric reviews show that coffee and its primary active ingredient, caffeine, can negatively affect children. While there is no single study "proving" coffee is toxic in small, accidental sips, extensive research highlights clear, measurable harm from regular consumption. [1, 2]

However:

Scientific data has debunked the old myth that coffee permanently stunts a child's height. Large-scale reviews (such as those summarized by Harvard Health Publishing) show that height is governed by genetics, overall nutrition, and general health—not coffee. However, doctors still advise against coffee because of its impact on sleep, anxiety, and the developing brain. [1, 2]

It's taken me a long time, but I now, finally, try to drink at least a cup of coffee/day.  I strive for two cups, but haven't yet succeeded with any regularity.  Never really liked coffee, and to make this hot drink taste like coffee candy, which I like, means to add sugar and other not so good ingredients.

Over the years, I've come to the point of also eating more fat because, well, it adds a right kind of taste.  There is this guilt feeling for the medical profession keeps saying fat is bad.  I asked Google AI if there was a high fat diet:

Yes, the ketogenic (keto) diet and the Atkins diet are the most well-known diets that feature eating a high amount of fat. [1, 2]

• Ketogenic (Keto) Diet: This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. By drastically cutting carbohydrates and replacing them with fats, your body enters a metabolic state called ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of glucose. Foods allowed include meat, cheese, butter, cream, eggs, and healthy oils. [1, 2]
Atkins Diet: A popular low-carbohydrate diet that starts with a high-fat and high-protein phase, gradually reintroducing more carbohydrate sources over time. [1, 2]

Mediterranean Diet: While not strictly "high-fat" in the same extreme sense as keto, it features generous amounts of healthy, unsaturated fats—such as olive oil, nuts, and avocados—as a core part of the daily routine. [1, 2]

Key Things to Keep in Mind

Type of fat matters: Nutrition experts emphasize choosing healthy unsaturated fats (like olive oil, avocados, nuts, and fatty fish) over heavy amounts of saturated fats found in processed or ultra-heavy animal products. [1, 2]

Calorie density: Fat has 9 calories per gram, compared to 4 calories per gram for carbohydrates and protein, meaning high-fat foods add up in calories very quickly. [1]
Forum consensus: Users on fitness and weight-loss communities like Reddit generally agree that while high-fat diets like keto can help with short-term weight loss and appetite control, sustainable weight loss still depends on an overall energy (calorie) balance. [1, 2]
You absolutely don't want trans fats, which would be anything fried and battered, margarine and most bakery products.

Wow!  I'm surprised.  A high fat diet can actually be good for you!!!  From Time magazine:  The 5 Healthiest Fats You Can Eat.

• Unsaturated fats are best.
• Are liquid at room temperature.
• Can improve blood cholesterol levels, inflammation, cardio-vascular health and more.

• 
  But, more and more, some types of saturated fats are gaining in diet acceptance.  Such as:
• Monounsaturated fats are found mostly in plants such as vegetable oils, avocados, nuts and seeds.
• Polyunsaturated fats are in corn, sunflower, walnuts, FISH and canola oil.

• 
  Omega 3-fatty acids lower the risk of premature death among older adults, and are not made in the body, so must come from the food you eat.
• A good way to get Omega-3 fats is by eating fish 2-3 times/week.
• In addition to potentially reducing heart disease risk, some research points to cognitive benefits from omega-3s. “It’s important to acknowledge the links between the cardiovascular system and brain health,” Marklund says. But most people don’t eat enough fatty fish.

• 
  But be careful about canned fish products, for too much sodium is added.
• There is a strong association between blood levels of linoleic acid (omega-6 polyundaturated fatty acid) and long-term health.  

• 
  You can find good levels of this acid in safflower, sunflower, corn, cottonseed, sesame and soybean oil.
• Olive oil is fine.
• Plus sunflower seed, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, peanuts and sesame seeds.

• 
  Also chicken pork and grain-fed beef.
• Eggs are particularly very good.
• For example, when it comes to snacks, replace chips with nuts.

• 
  Absolutely minimize all kinds of sugars.  
• Particularly terrible are high-fructose corn syrup and white table sugar (sucrose).
• While there is encouragement of eating fruits, excess fructose can be harmful.

• 
  Fructose is almost entirely process by the liver.  This can lead to fatty liver disease, high triglycerides and insulin resistance.
• Fructose does not trigger fullness, so can be overconsumed

• 
  Soybeans are gaining in acceptance.
• From soybeans come edamame, tofu and natto, all good for unsaturated fats, protein and fiber.  Particularly good for females to lower risk of breast cancer.
• Heard of tempeh?
• A staple in Indonesia.

• 
  It is fermented soybean cake, made from boiled soybeans mixed with a starter culture, and left ferment for a couple of days.
• Has a dense, chewy and almost meaty texture with a nutty flavor with a hint of savory umami.
• The somewhat bitter taste from the package mellows when cooked.
• Can be probiotic if prepared that way.
• Has double the nutrients of tofu.  But also double the calories.

• 
  In the United States, the biggest sources of saturated fat (12) in the diet, very bad for your health, are:

• Pizza and cheese
• Whole and reduced fat milk, butter and dairy desserts
• Meat products (sausage, bacon, beef, hamburgers)
• Cookies and other grain-based desserts
• A variety of mixed fast food dishes.

• 
  But more recent studies show that (from Google AI):

• Odd-chain saturated fatty acids: Found in whole-fat dairy and some other foods, these are sometimes associated with lower risks of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. [1]
• 
  Butyrate: A short-chain saturated fatty acid found in butter and whole milk that supports gut health and helps reduce inflammation. [1]
• 
  Stearic acid: A long-chain saturated fat found in meat and chocolate that appears to have a neutral effect on blood cholesterol levels compared to other saturated fats. [1]

So some of the fats I particularly like from milk, butter and meat can be okay for you.

I've recently been on a Keto-like diet and did not know that.  Works for me, as I can go on a two-month trip and over-indulge in fine cuisine and alcoholic drinks, gain 12 pounds, and drop that weight in a week or two at home by strictly following this loose regimen.  I can then maintain a certain weight range by continuing this diet.

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