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Fats: The good, the bad, and the ugly
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The most concentrated source of energy of all the macro nutrients, fat is found in both plant and animal sources. The USDA’s recommendation for fat intake is between 20-35% of your daily calorie intake. Fat has 9 calories per gram and must be metabolized aerobically, which perpetuates the myth that the best way to lose body fat is to do lots of aerobic exercise. While it is true that fat is the primary fuel source when doing moderate to light intensity cardio exercise, increasing your metabolism through adding lean mass to your body is a much more effective way to drop unwanted fat pounds and keep them off.
Another common myth regarding fat is that removing it from your diet will aid in body fat loss. There are several essential fat soluble vitamins that are required for proper body function. Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) are an important component of cell membranes and necessary for optimum health and proper cell function. Symptoms of EFA deficiency include: dry or prematurely graying hair, dry and cracking skin, slow wound healing, acne, and weak brittle nails. By going on drastically low fat diets, people are inadvertently decreasing their intake of these fat soluble vitamins as well.
Beneficial Fats:
Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated fats should comprise the majority of the fat that you consume. These types of fats can help prevent heart disease by lowering your blood cholesterol and contain the EFA’s that your body needs to function properly.
· Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature but become solid when chilled. Many contain beneficial antioxidant vitamin E as well as help to lower LDL’s in the blood and possibly even increase HDL’s known as “good cholesterol”.
o Found in: olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil, as well as avocados, peanut butter, almonds, and many other nuts and seeds.
· Polyunsaturated fats are also liquid at room temperature and remain liquid when chilled. These fats also help to lower the risk of heart disease. Included in this category of fat are the Omegas (3, 6, & 9). Omega 3 in particular has been shown to increase circulation, decrease blood pressure, and aid in the relief of arthritis. It is important to strive to keep a ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 at 4:1. However, because most Americans’ diets include more vegetable oils, which contain mostly Omega 6, the ratio in our diets is presently more like 20:1. This is why Omega 3 supplementation is highly recommended.
o Found in: cold water fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, trout, and tuna), grain and grain oils (flax, safflower, corn, and soy bean), as well as walnuts and sunflower seeds.
Eating proper portions of these “healthy” fats can actually help boost your fat metabolism promoting less body fat storage as well as help to release more that you have already stored. However, not all fats are created equal, and while it is important to have at least 20% of your daily caloric intake from fat, there are certain types of fat that should be limited.
Fats To Avoid:
Saturated fat and Trans fat are the harmful fats that can lead to heart disease, by increasing blood levels of LDL’s, otherwise known as “bad cholesterol”, and are linked to a variety of other illnesses.
· Saturated fat comes primarily from animal fats and tropical oils. This type of fat has long been linked to heart disease and in recent studies, has been linked to an increase risk of breast, prostate, and small intestine cancer. Saturated fat intake should be limited to small quantities.
o Found in: dairy products (cream, cheese, & butter), animal fats, coconut oil, cottonseed oil, palm kernel oil, chocolate, and processed foods.
· Trans fat is a man made fat created by adding hydrogen molecules to unsaturated fat in order to increase it’s melting point and preserve it longer. These types of fats are used in heavily processed foods such as baked goods and fried foods. Trans fats have no nutritional benefits and have been proven to increase the risk of coronary artery disease and have been linked to the development of Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, obesity, liver dysfunction, and infertility. This type of fat should be avoided completely.
o Found in: hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, shortening, and processed foods
Related articles: Carbohydrates: Not always the enemy, Protein: More than just muscle food, Building healthy meals
For more info or to contact Brian visit ttfitness.com
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