Fats are confusing. The real reason why people have fat-phobia is the lack of knowledge about dietary fats. One thing I have learned on my weight loss and health journey is that all the macronutrients are healthy in their natural state. Once humans tamper, modify, or change them, they become harmful. This is the same with dietary fats. In their natural state, they are healthy.
What Are Dietary Fats?
Fats are a type of nutrient that we get from our diet. The fats we eat give our bodies energy. During exercise, our bodies use calories from carbohydrates. After 20 minutes of exercise, the body depends on calories from fat to keep going. The dietary fat we get from food gives us essential fatty acids. The fatty acids are called linoleic and linolenic acid. They are essential because our bodies cannot make them or work without them. These fatty acids are important for brain development, controlling inflammation, and blood clotting.
Why Are Fats Confusing?
Dietary fats are made up of saturated fats, monosaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and trans fats. Each fat has specific fats in each group. Palm oil is a saturated fat called palmitate, while cocoa butter is also a saturated fat composed of stearate. At a cellular level, each fat affects our bodies in a different way. Retailers do not describe the different fats in detail. As an example, coconut oil is a combination of two fats: laurate and myristate. Another confusing thing about fats is food manufacturers trying to convince us that this oil is better or that butter is the best.
Our Bodies Are Made Of Fats.
Firstly, At a cellular level, our cells are made up of fats. These fatty acids make up our cells. They consist of saturated fats, monosaturated fats, and a small number of polyunsaturated fats. The body’s cells are broken as follows: Firstly, 18% are polyunsaturated fats. Secondly, 27% is made up of saturated fats and finally, 55% is monounsaturated fats.
Secondly, dietary fats directly affect our health. This is because our body is literally made up of fats at a cellular level. A low-fat diet is unhealthy in the long run as it deprived our bodies of the fatty acids it needs. The brain is also made up of fats. 60% of the brain is made up of cholesterol, omega-3 fats, and phospholipids.
Finally, the healthy fats we eat provide cell membranes with structure from saturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats help cell membranes with flexibility. Dietary Fats regulates inflammation and improves brain function and mood. Unhealthy foods on the other hand cause cell membranes to be unstable and floppy. The cells do not function well. This causes inflammation which leads to sickness and disease.
Dietary Fats Your Body Needs.
Fats made of oils, butter, and meats provide fuel to our bodies to function at peak performance. When you start eating low-carbs and high fat, your body starts burning dietary fats as a primary fuel. Our bodies need certain fats, not all fats, and not in a huge quantity. When it comes to dietary fat, what matters most is the type of fat you eat. Healthy fats are necessary for health and life.