8 Ways Fat Helps Your Body

I'm not here to bash fat, quite the opposite in fact. You could be surprised to learn that fat is one of the 3 major nutrients you need every day.

Fat keeps hunger at bay and eating the right fat benefits you. Yes, it may seem ironic but it helps you maintain a healthy body weight too.

For many years fat has received a bad rap. The fat-free craze created low- fat products everywhere you looked.

Yet, new research shows eating fat does not make you fat and low fat options can make things worse.

Fat is responsible for a lot that goes on in your body. Among other things, it's crucial for keeping your nerves and brain healthy.

8 Important Things Fat Does For Your Body:

1. Provides the major energy reserve in your body
2. Absorbs nutrients
3. Helps maintain body temperature
4. Maintains the structure of every cell
5. Helps produce important hormones
6. Balances hormone levels
7. Protects nerve endings and your brain
8. Keeps hair and skin healthy

How much fat can I eat?

The recommended daily allowance for fat is 50-60 grams per day. This will vary depending on how active you are and whether or not you're trying to lose weight.

If you're looking to lose weight stick to about 2-3 tablespoons of healthy fats per day.

Here's the thing: It's not only the amount of fat you choose but the type of fat that will play a key role in shaping your health.

Fats are calorie dense so if you want to lose weight, eat smaller quantities. At least 1 tablespoon of fat (about 14 grams) every day is necessary for daily body needs.

Types of Fat & Which to Choose

Monounsaturated fat: Monounsaturated fats are good for your heart and reduce cholesterol levels. Research shows that they also reduce the risk of breast cancer. Nuts like cashews, walnuts, almonds are rich in this fat. Avocado and olive oil are great sources too.

Polyunsaturated fat: These fats help reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

There are 2 Types of polyunsaturated fats: omega-3 fats and omega-6 fats.

Omega-3 fat is also called essential fat. This is because your body cannot make this fat and you can get this only from food.

Omega-3 fats are well known to protect you from a host of disease condition. Excellent sources include both plant and animal sources. Salmon (wild-caught) and cold water deep sea fish, krill, sardines etc, are high in omega 3 fats. Plant sources include flax, chia seeds, and walnuts.

Omega-6 fat is plentiful in modern diets. In fact, it's too plentiful.

They're in most seed oils – sunflower, safflower etc., and in cereals. Our current eating habits provide us more omega-6 fats and less of omega -3 fats.

To improve your health, eat more omega-3 fats and have omega-6 fats in moderation.

Saturated fats: Saturated fats from coconut oil and ghee (clarified butter) are good for you. Studies show that eating these saturated fats in moderation gives you a myriad of benefits.

Stay away from these fats:

• Soy, corn, canola or palm oil
• Partially hydrogenated oil (Run away from these Trans fats)
• Mayonnaise
• Lard

What about all the low fat and no fat options?

Confused about the low-fat and no-fat hypes? Don't blame yourself.

Thanks to the marketing gimmicks of big food companies, fat was the cause of all illness. In the past decade most chose no-fat, low or reduced fat foods for weight loss and health.

Unfortunately, all this is wrong and staying on a reduced fat diet can do more harm than good.

For instance, in ”fat-free” or ”low-fat” products, often times, fat is replaced with sugar. This is to compensate for the loss of taste in these products. Too much sugar causes weight gain.

If your goal is to lose weight then simply choose the right fats in moderation. The best way is to eat a combination of different types of healthy fat.

Choose fats in the form of wholesome sources like avocado, nuts, and seeds instead of oils. This helps your fat intake stay within limits and at the same time keeps you healthy.

Yours in Health,

Danette

P.S. Please share this information with your friends and I always love to hear from you in the comments below.