The Skinny On Fat!

Don’t Eradicate All Fat From Your Diet, Some Fats Are Good!

Most people hear the term “fat” and immediately begin to scowl and mutter various terms of profanity under their breath. Too many people only think of fat as a negative thing they must get rid of. But hold on just a minute, some fats are good! Fat has many important properties that help keep our bodies functioning properly. The importance of fat is discussed below.

Fat as an Insulator

One thing that fat does is keep us warm, fat as most people already know acts as an insulator. This assists in keeping the body the right temperature, especially in colder months. For example on a cold January day you may need to make a “quick run” outside to grab the recycling bin, or get something out of the car. As your body receives the shock of the cold, your skin reacts by drastically reducing its temperature, this encourages the fat deposits to generate and release heat throughout the body to help combat Old Man Winter!

Fat Provides Energy

A lot of people think of carbohydrates as being our main source of energy, which is mostly true, however fat acts as a backup source once we have “tapped” into our other resources a little too much. This is especially important in survival situations.

Fat Absorbs Vitamins

There are some vitamins that can only be absorbed through fat; these are known as “Fat Soluble Vitamins”. This includes some important vitamins such as; vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K, all of which are important to incorporate in our diets.

Fat as Protection

We have fat that surrounds vital areas throughout our body such as our, brain, heart, nerves, tissues and bones. The purpose of this is to basically act as absorption in case of unexpected impact.

Other Properties of Fat

Fat also helps maintain healthy hair and skin
Fat provides nutrients for cell membranes
Fat has a very key role in the development of hormones

So you may be thinking to yourself, what is healthy fat?

Healthy fat can be found within many foods. When searching for healthy fats try to find monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, these are the healthier fats! Below is a list of foods that incorporate healthy fats,

Olive Oil
Avocados
Nuts (such as Walnuts, Almonds, and Cashews)
Seeds (such as sunflower, sesame, and Pumpkin seeds)
Fish (salmon, Tuna, Herring, and Trout)
Eggs
Soybean Oil
Tofu
Peanut Butter

Remember embrace the fat! Just make sure you are incorporating the right kinds of fats, and eating all foods in moderation for the best results. Try to aim for Essential Fatty Acids and Omega 3’s , commonly found in fish. Fat has a key role in the importance in our diet, helping us maintain our bodies. Whenever in doubt turn to Canada’s Food Guide for recommendations, or consult a professional Nutritionist.

Happy Eating !

Bibliography:

Importance of Fat found at,http://www.newhealthguide.org/Function-Of-Fats-In-The-Body.html , Paragraphs 2,3,4,5,6 , Copyright New Health Guide 2015

Good Fats found at, http://www.goodfats101.com/fats-101/good-vs-bad/ , Paragraph 5, Copyright Good Fats 101, 2015

Healthy Fats found at, http://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/choosing-healthy-fats.htm , copyright Help Guide 2015