The Skinny on Fats
Here’s the skinny on fats…
They DON’T make you fat!
A Little Back Story:
The low fat craze of the 80s appeared because the average American was getting larger and gaining an unhealthy amount of weight. Enter low fat EVERYTHING. Ice cream, cheese, milk, cookies, yogurt, you get it. Okay, great. So our food no longer has fat in it meaning we shouldn’t gain weight, right? Wrong! Fat disappeared and WE STILL GAINED WEIGHT. Why? Because when food manufacturers took out fat, the food tasted horrible, so to make the food enjoyable so people would buy them (& they could make $$$), they replaced fat with refined carbs AKA sugar. So yes, fat was gone BUT the calories weren’t. Which lead us Americans to gain more weight.
If this isn’t a classic example of fat doesn’t make you fat, but extra calories make you gain fat, I don’t know what is.
*You will only gain fat if you consistently eat in a caloric surplus!!*
(i.e. eat more calories than your body burns)
So no, fat isn’t the devil. In fact, FAT IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR SURVIVAL!
The Purpose of Fat:
Fat is a major source of energy! At 9 calories/gram of fat, it provides us with 2.5x more energy (i.e. calories) than carbs or protein!
Fat is our only source of essential fatty acids (think: omega 3 & omega 6). Essential fatty acids are well, essential because our body cannot produce them on their own & we therefore, we must eat them!
Fat is also needed to store and metabolize fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E, & K). Without sufficient fat in our diets, not only can we not store these vitamins, but we can’t break them down (metabolize) to get the benefits of them!
Fat is also necessary for the structure and function of our cells. Healthy cells = an efficient body. Unhealthy cells (i.e. cells without fat) = a sick and/or diseased body :(
Do you know of someone who is ALWAYS cold? It very well could be because they have a low amount of body fat.. Body fat provides our bodies with insulation and helps us regulate our core temperature. It also helps us regulate our hormones, allows us to think clearer, our blood to clot, and it protects our vital organs, joints, and bones from trauma.
So Why Does Fat Have a Bad Rep?
Fat gets a bad rep because it’s so energy dense. Say you were to eat 5 grams of an avocado and 5 grams of an apple. Eating the avocado will have you consume 2.5x the calories of the apple. More calories ≠ unhealthy. It just simply means that you need to be more mindful of how your eating is affecting your health goals. Because fats have more calories, and they are often found in highly palatable foods, it’s easy to over consume your calories for the day. Just be mindful and stick to eating in a way that enhances your health goals.
How Much Fat Should I Eat?
Okay, you convinced me, I can’t wait to start eating more fats! Great! But just remember, too much of anything is never good. Stick to these guidelines:
Fats should make up 20 - 35% of your daily caloric intake
Depending on your goals will depend where you fall in that range
There is a difference between saturated & unsaturated fats
Saturated fats are mainly found in animal products & tropical oils (coconut, palm)
Solid at room temp!
Less than 10% of your daily calories should come from sat fats!
Limit/avoid these if you have, or at risk for, heart disease and/or high blood pressure!
Unsaturated fats are mainly found in plant sources & fish
Liquid at room temp
Viewed as a healthy alternative to saturated fats!
**Avoid trans fats altogether**
But What About Body Fat?
I got ya, friend!
Essential Fat (dangerously low)
women: 10-12%
men: 2-4%
Athletes (professionals)
women: 14-20%
men: 6-13%
Fitness
women: 21-24%
men: 14-17%
Acceptable
women: 25-31%
men: 18-25%
Obese
women: 32+%
men: 26+%
*please note that “Fitness” & “Acceptable” are the 2 ranges you would want to aim for. Aiming for anything lower without the proper supervision of a professional can be life threatening
What do you think? Has this post made you look at fat in a new light? If you found this post to be helpful, share it with a friend and let’s shed some light on fat!
Stay healthy,
Veronica
Watch my IGTV on Fats HERE
Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash