The surprising truth about fat

I am talking about fat today.... The macro-nutrient that is... It makes food great. Butter, coconut oil, olive oil, eggs, avocado- delicious and filling.

It is necessary and good for you. The marketing of the "low fat" craze was VERY effective. I still hear it all the time. The truth is the obesity epidemic got worse right alongside the low fat diets. Buying low fat still? They add in sugar and fake sugars (chemicals) when they take the fat out. High sugar adds to all sorts of health issues as well as weight gain. Here is some great info about why we need fats.

Not all fats are bad, you just need to know the difference between fats you need, and fats you don’t need. Here are some of the top reasons why you need fats:

Fats provide energy

Gram for gram fats are the most efficient source of food energy. Each gram of fat provides nine calories of energy for the body, compared with four calories per gram of carbohydrates and proteins. They should be called energy not fat.

Fats build healthy cells

Fats are a vital part of the membrane that surrounds each cell of the body. Without a healthy cell membrane, the rest of the cell couldn’t function.

Fats build brains

You need fats because provides the structural components not only of cell membranes in the brain, but also of myelin, the fatty insulating sheath that surrounds each nerve fiber, enabling it to carry messages faster. Children when growing especially need a high fat diet.

Fats help the body use vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble vitamins, meaning that the fat in foods helps the intestines absorb these vitamins into the body.

Fats make hormones

Fats are structural components of some of the most important substances in the body, including prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that regulate many of the body’s functions. You need fats because they regulate the production of sex hormones, which explains why some teenage girls who are too lean experience delayed pubertal development and amenorrhea. The right fats help balance hormones.

Fat provides healthier skin

One of the more obvious signs of fatty acid deficiency is dry, flaky skin. In addition to giving skin its rounded appeal, the layer of fat just beneath the skin (called subcutaneous fat) acts as the body’s own insulation to help regulate body temperature. Lean people tend to be more sensitive to cold; obese people tend to be more sensitive to warm weather.

Fat forms a protective cushion for your organs

Many of the vital organs, especially the kidneys, heart, and intestines are cushioned by fat that helps protect them from injury and hold them in place. (True, some of us “overprotect” our bodies.) As a tribute to the body’s own protective wisdom, this protective fat is the last to be used up when the body’s energy reserves are being tapped into.

Fat is great energy- Eat it and enjoy!!