In the last installment of the Nutrition & Weight Loss blog series, we talked about essential micronutrients and macronutrients. We saw that micronutrients, which include vitamins and minerals, don’t contain any energy, so they don’t contribute to weight gain.
We get all the energy we need from macronutrients, which include fats, carbohydrates and protein. The problem is that when we get too much energy, our body stores it as fat and we gain weight.
So it’s important to learn more about each macronutrient group and how each one affects our health and weight management. And there’s no better place to start than with the most maligned of all the essential nutrients we need to live:
Fats
If fat was a person, it would probably need major psycho-therapy. Imagine doing your job so well that people can have more than enough of what you produce, but they take too much (not your fault) and then they blame you and try to get rid of you.
Fat’s main role in your body is as a storehouse for the energy you need to function. To give you an idea of how good fats are at what they do, they carry twice as much energy as either carbohydrates or protein.
And fat does a lot more for you too. Among its many benefits, fat is essential for:
- Body growth
- New cell development
- Hormone production
- Immune system support
- Balanced cholesterol levels
- Healthy hair and skin
Fat is also necessary for your body to absorb fat-soluble micronutrients, including vitamins A, D, E and K.
Fats are so important, it’s recommended that you get 25% to 30% of your calories from them.
So, if they’re so important to your health and wellbeing, why do fats have such a bad reputation?
Perhaps the most important thing to know about fat and weight management is that the type of fat you eat is more important than how much fat you eat.
Types of Fats
There are two main types of fats in the foods you eat: saturated fats and unsaturated fats.
Saturated Fats are mainly found in food that comes from animals, including butter, cheese, milk and meat. They are also found in coconut oil and palm oil.
To put it plainly: saturated fats are bad for you. They raise your levels of “bad” cholesterol, which increases your chance of heart disease and stroke, and they can cause atherosclerosis, or blockage of the arteries.
One of the worst saturated fats is trans-fat. Some trans-fat occurs naturally, but most of it is a man-made by-product of hydrogenating vegetable oil, which is done to make food last longer, look more appealing and taste better. You should avoid all trans-fat.
The Enemy of Your Weight Loss Program. While you get some health benefits from them, your body produces all the saturated fats you need. That means it stores any extra saturated fats you consume, which increases your body weight.
Unsaturated Fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are the “white hat” fats that offer a number of health benefits. While they are mainly found in plant foods like vegetables, nuts and grains, unsaturated fats also occur in some cold-water fish species, including tuna and salmon.
Many of the benefits of unsaturated fats counteract the negative effects of saturated fats:
- Reduces “bad” cholesterol in your blood
- Keeps your triglyceride levels low
- Lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke
- Reduces soft-tissue inflammation
For any weight loss or weight management program, you should get into the habit of consuming more unsaturated fats and fewer saturated fats.
If you’re not sure about which foods have which fats, talk to a nutritional professional who will help you make the right diet choices and make sure you get the right nutrition for successful weight management.