The Joys of FAT

Ok so we all know that too much FAT can be bad for us but did you know that its also an essential element in our diet and without it you would not remain in good health?

Fat is the most concentrated source of energy available, being at about 9 Kcals per gram as opposed to say carbohydrates and proteins which are about 4 kcals per gram. It is a particulary important energy source for babies and young children. The younger you are the more fat your bodies need but as we grow older this need decreases, although some people seem to forget this.

Dietary fat is a source of essential fatty acids(EFA's), which cannot be readily made in sufficient amounts within the body so what do we have to do? Thats right we need to eat it ourselves since our bodies dont want to produce enough, lazy body!

Basically there are two types of fat, being saturated (BAD) and unsaturated (GOOD)(which can be further broken into polyunsaturated and monounsaturated).Monounsturated fats appear to have a protective function against heart disease. From polyunsaturated we can then go further into the essential fatty acids thats our bodies need on a regular basis. Polyunsaturated essential fatty acids include:

1. Omega 3
2. Omega 6
3. Omega 9

Ok so apart from making you look like a walking donut if you eat too much whats fat good for, well how about if i said that EFA's are essential in maintaining a variety of bodily functions including:

• Cell division
• Kidney function
• Nerves
• Blood clotting
• Healthy Brain
• Healthy Heart
• Healthy hormone system
• Immune response

Theres plenty more but the ones above are just to give you an idea of how important they are and yes i did write healthy brain and heart!

Omega 6 and 3 is further broken down into prostaglandins, with omega six becoming prostaglandin type one and two and omega 3 becoming prosteglandin type 3. Heres some more advantages of them both to blow you away:

Type 1 and 2

• Keeps your blood thin preventing blockages and clots
• Lowers blood pressure
• Relaxes blood vessels
• Improves nerve and immune function
• Helps to maintain water balance

Type 3

• Controls fat and cholesterol levels
• Reduces imflammation
• Reduces the stickiness of blood
• Improves immune function
• Helps to maintain water balance in the body

The prostaglandins themselves are very short lived so we must ensure a steady supply of their source, Omega 3 and omega six in our diet. The good fats then are EFA's found in cold pressed olive oil(mono-unsaturated fatty acid), sesame seeds and sunflower seeds (omega 6), pumpkin and linseeds (omega 3), fish oils (D.H.A and E.P.A) and evening primrose oil and borage flowers(G.L.A). Still not convinced fat is essential, well what if i told you that half the weight of the human brain is made up of essential fatty acids??

Ok so for all them people out there who have a no fat diet, in that they consume no fat just remember what you have read. A fat free diet (which removes all fat from the diet, not just saturated) is, over a long period of time a potentiall dangerous thing to do.

Ok i have talked about the positives of fat in your diet but what about the dangers of fat? Here we are:

• Hormone imbalance- If not enough is consumed and if too little.
• Fat soluble vitamins and EFA deficiency- Not enough of the EFA's has been linked to some of the following conditions: diarrhoea, dry skin and hair, hair loss, immune impairment, poor wound healing, infertility, acne, gall stones and eczema.
• Obesity- Fat as mentioned earlier is 9 Kcals per gram, much higher than protein and carbohydrates. Therefore a diet high in fat will lead to excessive calories which if not used will be stored as fat, mainly underneath the skin.
• Disease and illness- Too much saturated fat has been linked to strokes, obesity, heart disease, M.S and cancer.
• Cholesterol-A vital part of body economy, the body produces about 80-90% by itself. Too much cholesterol (LDL-saturated fat) in the diet has been linked to heart attacks.

Ok i hope i have covered plenty on fats and the good and bad points. Il finish by saying that its recommended that your diet should be no more than 20-30% fat with no more than 7% being derived from saturated, 13% from monounsaturated and 10% from polyunsaturated. Everyone has there own needs, a person who is very active may well need more than someone who is inactive. Its about getting the balance right and eating a healthy and balanced diet and engaging in a healthy lifestyle.

A useful website to use for further reading includes:http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/Eat-less-saturated-fat.aspx