Fats...SOME are Good for YouWe said some...not all
- When people hear the word “fat” in reference to food, many immediately think “bad,” but luckily for your taste buds that is actually not the case. Does this mean you should feel free to down half a cheesecake? Well, no, but splitting a slice at dinner on Saturday night won’t be your death. Fats in moderate amounts are essential to your health in addition to having the capacity to induce weakness in the knees when you see a great big wheel of artisanal cheese. All of the various types of fat you are familiar with actually have functional purposes within the human body except for trans fat. The monounsaturated that you have heard so many good things about, polyunsaturated and even the saturated fats that trigger dire warnings and fear of heart disease all actually perform functions within your body.
- Fat Facts:
• Fats facilitate the transportation and absorption of all fat soluble vitamins. The
A, D, E and K vitamins that are so essential need fat to move within the body
and to perform their functions.
• Fats are key components in your central nervous system, your retinas and in
the membranes of every cell in your body.
• Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) can not be synthesized by your body and must
come from dietary sources.
• Your body uses fat not only to insulate against cold, but also to cushion your
vital organs.
• Fats are key in maintaining hormonal balance in your body and are used
extensively by your adrenal, thyroid, thymus and sexual glands for hormone
production.
• Fats are the most concentrated source of energy you can consume, having 9
calories per gram or 257 calories per ounce.
- Fat Roles
- One of the most important factors in healthy fat consumption is differentiating between the types of fats and making sure you are getting the fat that you need without too much of the fat that you don’t. Trans fat is not essential to any bodily function so your intake of it should be minimal to zero. All other types of fat have roles that they play in your body. Saturated fats are essential for hormone production for everything from adrenaline to testosterone and progesterone. But their intake should not be excessive, occasional red meat or a little butter or an ounce of cheese a day is sufficient.
- Polyunsaturated fats are the largest group of fats and contain the highly important omega -3 and omega -6 groups that have been studied so extensively. This group contains fish, nuts, seeds and most of the vegetable oils such as sunflower and canola oil. A major portion of your fat intake should come from this group.
More Good Fats...Have Some
The final designation for fats is the monounsaturated group. This is the much praised group for heart health and contributions to lowering bad cholesterol levels and increasing good cholesterol levels. Olive oil is the leader of the pack here and avocados are a close second. These are the fats that you don’t have to feel at all guilty about. Bright green slices of creamy avocado layered over grilled chicken with fresh tomatoes, onions and cilantro then drizzled with olive oil gives you a heart healthy meal that satisfies your urges for fat and may just help out your hormone levels too!