Fats have been demonized for the longest time.
Even today, thousands of individuals and sources demonize the poor nutrient and suggest that we should cut all fat from our diet.
But, the truth is, not only Is that unrealistic it’s actually dangerous for our health and well-being.
Mounting evidence suggests that fats are integral for our health and wellbeing. Today, we’ll take a look at why that is and what it means for us.
What Are Dietary Fats?
Dietary fats are organic molecules made of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Depending on their structure, fats come in three categories – saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated.
Based on that, fats can have different effects within our body.
As far as the health effect of fats goes, researchers have come up with a general rule of thumb:
If a fat comes from unprocessed food (fatty fish, avocado, etc.), then its effects are mostly good.
If the fat comes from processed goods (potato chips, cookies, etc.), then it’s best to limit them.
Again that’s just a rule of thumb and yes there are exceptions but generally speaking It’s a pretty good rule to follow.
Now that we have a basic understanding of fats, let’s take a look at what they do for us.
Why Fats Are Critical
Fats are vital to our health and wellbeing. Some of their functions include:
● They aid the production of hormones, enzymes, and cells;
● They maintain our brain health;
● They are vital for our cardiovascular system;
● They support our metabolism;
● They keep us full after meals and prevent us from overeating.
Some research even suggests that getting enough dietary fats is vital for our mental health, and it can help treat and prevent depression.
There are some that postulate that the explosion in mental health issues over the past 50 years is related to the demonization of fat that started happing… well 50 years ago.
As a whole, fats are integral for our health, wellbeing, energy, and fitness results.
How to Get More Fats In Your Diet
Here are some of the healthiest fat sources you should add to your grocery list:
● Fatty fish, which is also vital because it provides us with the much needed omega-3 fatty
acids;
● Whole eggs;
● Avocado;
● Olives and extra virgin olive oil;
● Coconut and coconut oils;
● Seeds and nuts;
● Full-fat yogurt;
● Cheese;
● Dark chocolate.
As we’ve shown fat is critical to having a happy, healthy body the key is to choose healthy fats and eat them in the appropriate amount.
What is that amount? Well the general consensus from dietitians and nutritionists, is that
healthy fats should comprise roughly 20-35% of your diet.
We like to simplify that to shooting for 25%. This gives you the right amount of protein without overdoing the calories.
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