Are you trying to lose weight? Lower your blood pressure or improve your cholesterol? You’ve probably been advised to watch your fat intake. Wise words. Especially if they’re coming from your GP. But if you’re under the impression that you need to cut out fat completely, then it’s time to think again.
Fat doesn’t make you fat. It’s eating too much fat that leads to weight gain.
Why You Need Fat
As part of the group of macronutrients, fat is a key component of your daily eating plan. Cutting it out completely will have negative effects on your health.
Yes. It’s true that you should be watching your intake of bacon sarnies and deep fried chips. But the right omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids are essential for everyday bodily functions.
You need fat in your body to give you energy, ensure that your vital organs (including your brain) are functioning correctly and to regulate your hormones. Fat is also crucial for insulating your nerves and maintaining healthy hair, skin and muscle tissues.
What Kind of Fat?
Not all fats are created equal. So overdoing the ice-cream, chocolate cake and pork chops is definitely a no-no. Packaged foods and processed meats (in excess) are also off the menu. These types of foods are high in trans-fats (or frankenfats) and are known to elevate your risk of coronary heart disease.
Omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids are the kinds of fats that really power your body. Getting them in the right doses is essential for your wellbeing. And actually, your body can’t produce these fats by itself, so you’ll need to incorporate them in your eating plan.
Where from? Omega-3 oils are abundant in fatty fish (like salmon, herring and mackerel), flax oil and nuts (especially walnuts). And omega-6 is in just about every vegetable oil you can think of, although these fatty oils are more easily absorbed from animal sources.
If you’re not a fan of fish, try stocking up on flax and chia seeds, kidney beans, omega-3 enriched eggs, pumpkin and squash.
As long as the fat that you put in your body is good fat, your body will naturally regulate the quantity.
After all, there’s only so many salmon filets you can eat before you start craving something else.
