The Importance and Benefits of Fat
Fat Macronutrient
What are Fats?
Fat is one of the three main macronutrients, along with carbohydrate and protein. It is an important foodstuff for many forms of life. Fats serve both structural and metabolic functions. They are an important part of a healthy diet. In particular, they provide essential fatty acids, keep the skin soft, they also help to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K, the fat-soluble vitamins. In addition, they fill the fat cells and insulate the body to help stay warm, and are a great source of energizing fuel.(1,2)
The body stores fat, or adipose tissue, as a result of excess calorie consumption. During exercise, initially the body uses calories from carbohydrates. But after 20 minutes, it depends on calories from fat to keep us going.(3) In addition, if we don’t get enough carbohydrates from the food to use it as a source of energy, our bodies use fat instead.
Types of Fats
In general, there are two groups of fats- saturated and unsaturated, depending on how much of each type of fatty acid they contain. Within each group are several more types of fats. (4)
So let’s take a closer look on fats. Why fats are important, what type of fats we should eat every day and what fats we should avoid.
HEALTHY OR UNSATURATED FATS
An unsaturated fat is a fat or fatty acid in which there is one or more double bond in the fatty acid chain. Unsaturated fats are considered to be healthy. Importance to realize, that some of them are essential to the body, meaning we can not function normal without getting them from the food, cause the body can not manufacture them itself.
THERE ARE TWO MAIN TYPES OF UNSATURATED FATS: A FAT MOLECULE IS MONOUNSATURATED IF IT CONTAINS ONE DOUBLE BOND, AND POLYUNSATURATED IF IT CONTAINS MORE THAN ONE DOUBLE BOND.(5)
- monounsaturated fats (typically liquid at room temperature but solidify if refrigerated) These heart-healthy fats are typically a good source of Vitamin E. They can be found in olives; avocados; hazelnuts; almonds; Brazil nuts; cashews; sesame seeds; pumpkin seeds; and olive, canola, and peanut oils.
- polyunsaturated fats (found mostly in vegetable oils and fish). They include omega-3 fats which are found in fish, and Omega-6 fats which are found in some oils such as safflower, along with some nuts, including brazil nuts. (6)
Both mono- and polyunsaturated fats, when eaten in moderation and used to replace saturated or trans fats, can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Overall the highest intake of fat should be from the monounsaturated type. (7)
MONOUNSATURATED FATS
From a chemical standpoint, monounsaturated fats are simply fat molecules that have one unsaturated carbon bond in the molecule, this is also called a double bond. Oils that contain monounsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature but start to turn solid when chilled.
Monounsaturated fats are good for the health in several ways:
- They can help lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol level (read more about Cholesterol below)
- Eaten in place of unhealthy fats, these fats may help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar
- Monounsaturated fats help develop and maintain the cells
- They are high in vitamin E, necessary for healthy vision, a healthy immune system, and other benefits.(8)
LIST OF FOODS HIGH IN MONOUNSATURATED FATS:
- Sunflower oil, cold press, unrefined (85% monounsaturated fat)
- Olive oil, cold press (contains about 75% monounsaturated fat)
- Hazelnuts and hazelnut oil
- Olives
- Macadamia nuts and oil
- Avocado
- Avocado oil
- Almonds and almond oil
- Brazil nuts and oil
- Hemp oil
- Nuts, seeds and their butters
- Fish oil
- Goose fat
- Tallow (beef fat – is about 50% monounsaturated fat)
- Lard (pig fat- about 40% monounsaturated fat) (9)
As a matter of fact, studies have shown that substituting dietary monounsaturated fat for saturated fat is associated with:
- increased daily physical activity
- resting energy expenditure
- less anger and irritability(10)
POLYUNSATURATED FATS
Polyunsaturated fats are also fat molecules, but they have more than one unsaturated carbon bond in the molecule, this is also called a double bond. Oils that contain polyunsaturated fats as well as monounsaturated ones are liquid at room temperature but start to turn solid when chilled. Olive oil is an example of a type of oil that contains polyunsaturated fats.
Generally speaking, polyunsaturated fats can have a beneficial effect when eaten in moderation and when used to replace high levels of saturated fat and trans fat in the diet.
Benefits of eating Polyunsaturated fats:
- help reduce bad cholesterol levels in the blood
- lower the risk of heart disease and stroke
- provide nutrients to help develop and maintain the body’s cells
- contribute Vitamin E to the diet
Equally important, polyunsaturated fats also provide essential fatty acids that the body needs but can’t produce itself – such as omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore we must get essential fats through the food we eat. Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are important for many functions in the body.(11)
Read more about Essential Fatty Acids […]
LIST OF FOODS HIGH IN POLYUNSATURATED FATS:
- Fish
- Coffee, brewed, espresso, decaffeinated
- Safflower oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil
- Chia seeds
- Sunflower oil and seeds
- Poppyseed
- Walnuts and walnut oil
- Brazil nuts
- Almonds
- Olive oil
- Nut butters
- Cottonseed oil
- Pine nuts
- Sesame oil
THE TRUTH ABOUT UNHEALTHY (OR NOT SO HEALTHY) FATS
There are types of fat that should be eaten sparingly. In particular, they are saturated and trans fatty acids. Both can raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels, clog arteries, and increase the risk for heart disease.(12)
Let’s see in details what are those and why they can be so bad. Coupled with the information on the difference between good and bad ones.
TRANS FATS
Trans fatty acids are unhealthy fats that form when vegetable oil hardens in a process called hydrogenation. In general, hydrogenated fats, or “trans fats,” are often used to keep some foods fresh for a long time. (13)
Basically, trans fats are unsaturated fats that have been processed and as a result, behave like saturated fats. Eating trans fats increases the levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol and decreases the levels of ‘good’ cholesterol in the body which is a major risk factor for heart disease. In other words, it is important to lower the amounts of trans fats that come from the food in order to stay healthy.
Mainly, trans fats are found in:
- many packaged foods
- butter
- some margarines
- found naturally in meats or dairy (but small amounts)
First thing to remember is to check the food labels when buying packaged foods for trans fats or amounts of saturated fats. Cause some manufactures label foods as “0 trans fat” or cooked with “trans fat-free” . But these foods may contain a lot of saturated fats, which also raise your bad cholesterol levels. “Trans fat-free” foods may also be unhealthy in terms of their general nutrient content.
With this in mind, we should always replace trans fats with mono and polyunsaturated fats. (14)
SATURATED FATS
In short, a saturated fat is a type of fat in which the fatty acid chains have all or predominantly single bonds. These fats are usually solid at room temperature.
EXAMPLES OF FOODS CONTAINING A HIGH PROPORTION OF SATURATED FAT:
- Whole milk dairy products (butter, cream, cheese, full fat milk)
- Fatty meats
- Coconut oil
- Coconut milk and cream
- Cooking margarine
- Palm kernel oil (15)
- Many manufactured and packaged foods:
- Fatty snack foods (such as potato chips, savoury crackers)
- Deep fried and high fat take away foods (such as hot chips, pizza, hamburgers)
- Cakes and high fat muffins
- Pastries and pies (including quiche, tarts, sausage rolls, pasties, croissants)
- Sweet and savoury biscuits (16)
SO DO WE NEED SATURATED FAT AT ALL?
The effect of saturated fat on risk of disease is controversial. Many reviews recommend a diet low in saturated fat and argue it will lower risks of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, or death. However, other reviews have challenged those arguments or advocated for examining the proportion of saturated to unsaturated fat in the diet.(17)
Consuming saturated fats in large amounts will definitely raise bad cholesterol levels. For this reason it is generally believed that saturated fat is bad for us.
But the truth is, we actually need a fair amount of saturated fat to stay healthy. The fear of consuming saturated fats has led many people to assume that some vegetables oils like sunflower oil is a good choice. But the reality is different. In fact, some foods containing saturated fats might be NOT THAT BAD. For example, coconut oil, coconut milk and cream, fatty meats are high in saturated fats, but they can be very healthy when consumed in moderation. And on the other hand, some other foods like cakes, pizza, ice cream that are high also in saturated fats also tend to be high in added sugars, trans fats and low in nutrients.(18)
So just remember to choose your food wisely and know the facts about what foods are a good source of fat, and what are not so much.
Nevertheless, I personally believe that eating LARGE amounts of ANYTHING will increased the risk of different diseases. We just need to make sure to choose the right foods- whole, natural, organic, unprocessed, and NOT fatty snacks, cakes and pizzas. Cause it is all about the choices we make! And knowing what to choose is the key to healthy living.
THEN WHAT ARE TRIGLYCERIDES?
To clarify, triglycerides are a type of fat (lipid) found in the blood. When we eat, the body converts any calories it doesn’t need to use right away into triglycerides. Generally triglycerides are stored in the fat cells. Later, hormones release triglycerides for energy between meals. If you regularly eat more calories than you burn, particularly “easy” calories like carbohydrates and saturated or trans fats, you may have high triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia).
FACTORS THAT CAN RAISE THE TRIGLYCERIDE LEVEL INCLUDE:
- Being overweight
- Lack of physical activity
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol use
- A very high carbohydrate diet
- Certain diseases and medicines
- Some genetic disorders(19)
Too much of triglyceride may raise the risk of coronary artery disease, especially in women. But the good news, it is possible to lower triglycerides in natural ways, with a combination of:
- losing weight
- cutting back on calories
- avoiding sugary and refined foods
- choosing healthier fats
- limiting the amount of alcohol
- and of corse, regular exercise for at least 30 min a day.
Paleo is a great option for people who suffer high levels of triglycerides. Talk to your doctor if you have high triglycerides. You may need to take medicine to lower its levels.
A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST CAN REVEAL WHETHER YOUR TRIGLYCERIDES FALL INTO A HEALTHY RANGE.
- Normal — Less than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or less than 1.7 millimoles per liter (mmol/L)
- Borderline high — 150 to 199 mg/dL (1.8 to 2.2 mmol/L)
- High — 200 to 499 mg/dL (2.3 to 5.6 mmol/L)
- Very high — 500 mg/dL or above (5.7 mmol/L or above)
Your doctor will usually check for high triglycerides as part of a cholesterol test (sometimes called a lipid panel or lipid profile). You’ll have to fast for 9 to 12 hours before blood can be drawn for an accurate triglyceride measurement.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRIGLYCERIDES AND CHOLESTEROL
Triglycerides and cholesterol are separate types of lipids that circulate in your blood. Triglycerides store unused calories and provide your body with energy, while cholesterol is used to build cells and certain hormones. Because triglycerides and cholesterol can’t dissolve in blood, they circulate throughout the body with the help of proteins that transport the lipids (lipoproteins).(20)
And WHAT IS Exactly CHOLESTEROL?
Generally speaking, cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all cells of the body and in some foods, but also in the blood. Must be remembered, it has many important functions in the body. Our bodies need some cholesterol to make:
- hormones
- Vitamin D
- substances that help to digest foods
BUT the body can make itself all the cholesterol it needs.
To clarify, cholesterol travels through the bloodstream in small packages called lipoproteins (lip-o-PRO-teens). These packages are made of fat (lipid) on the inside and proteins on the outside.
TWO KINDS OF LIPOPROTEINS CARRY CHOLESTEROL THROUGHOUT THE BODY:
- low-density lipoproteins (LDL) -called “bad” cholesterol. High LDL level leads to a buildup of cholesterol in the arteries
- high-density lipoproteins (HDL) -called “good” cholesterol. It carries cholesterol from other parts of the body back to the liver and then the liver removes cholesterol from the body.
HAVING HEALTHY LEVELS OF BOTH TYPES OF LIPOPROTEINS IS IMPORTANT.
However, high blood cholesterol is a medical condition. By itself, it usually has no signs or symptoms. Thus, many people don’t even know that their cholesterol levels are too high. To emphasize, high levels of the wrong type of cholesterol in the blood can:
- increase the heart disease risk
- cause clogged arteries
- lead to heart disease
- can cause stroke or heart attack.
The higher the level of LDL cholesterol in your blood, the GREATER the chance is of getting heart disease. On the other hand, the higher the level of HDL cholesterol in your blood, the LOWER the chance is of getting heart disease.(21)
Conclusion
From time to time, fats are getting a bad rep in our society. But if you look at them closely you will see that we can not exist without them. Some fats are essential to our health and we can not survive without getting them from the food we eat.
Accordingly, there are some good fats – like unsaturated; some not that good – like saturated; and some really bad ones – like trans fats. Choosing the right foods is the key to getting healthy fats into your diet.
But don’t get an illusion that if the foods contain the good fats like polyunsaturated, they are surely good for you. The reality is different. High in Omega-6 sunflower oil is not such a great choice of polyunsaturated fats, while high in saturated fats coconut oil can be a great and healthy replacement. That is why choose the whole, unprocessed, cold press, raw, organic foods, skip anything packaged. This way you will have a better chance to incorporate more healthy foods into your diet.
Paleo calls for fats as the main source of energy. And I personally believe that is the healthiest way of eating. Cause we need the amounts of healthy fats more than any other macronutrient.
You can check HERE the list of Paleo foods that provide healthy fats.
Well. Thank you so much for taking your time to read this article about healthy and unhealthy fats and getting closer to making more healthy choices. I hope you found lots of useful and new information for yourself.
AND AS ALWAYS, STAY WELL, HEALTHY AND HAPPY!!!