Fat has had a lot of bad press and for many people, just a mention of the word can evoke misery. You can try to lose it, try to hide it, try to avoid it, but your body still needs it! Did you know that fat helps to insulate our nerve cells, keeps us warm, balances our hormones, keeps skin and arteries supple, lubricates joints and is a component in every cell?
The key issue here is recognizing which type of fat your body needs, how much your body requires and which type is your enemy. Armed with the right information, you can focus on getting more of the good fats and less of the bad fats into your daily diet.
There are two types of fat to be aware of. Saturated fats - let's call them "the enemy" and unsaturated fats - "the good guys"! It is easy to tell the difference because saturated fats are hard at room temperature. Saturated fats are not essential to your health. They come from animals and are found in meat, eggs and cheese. They are harder to digest and full of cholesterol.
Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and have been divided into two groups. Monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, and polyunsaturated fats such as sunflower oil. Polyunsaturated fats are split into Omega 3 fatty acids and Omega 6 fatty acids. Monounsaturated fat (Omega 9) although not essential, is not harmful in moderation - a good quality (extra virgin first cold pressed) olive oil is a healthier alternative to the usual vegetable oil. Good sources of Omega 6: safflower oil, sunflower oil, evening primrose oil, walnut oil, pumpkin oil, sesame oil. Good sources of Omega 3 are mackerel, herring, salmon, pilchards, sardines, tuna and flax seed oil. Here are some important facts about fat in our diet.
1. Fat is the 'energy reserve' of animals, plants and humans.
2. The ideal body-fat ratio should be approximately 19-26% of a woman's body weight, and 12-18% of a man's body weight.
3. There are two different types of body fat - brown and yellow. Brown fat is situated inside the body and is 'active', containing mitochondria that produce heat (thermogenesis) and as a result burn energy. Yellow fat is found nearer the surface, is less active and more likely to accumulate. Women tend to have a higher ratio of yellow fat than men.
4. Women need higher levels of fat because it is essential for reproduction and so the body stores it 'just in case'.
5. An average healthy intake of good fats in the diet should be approximately 30-40 grams a day. The fat content of diets in affluent populations can be nearly four times this amount!
6. Most foods containing fat combine saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat in varying quantities. For instance, butter's fat content is almost 100%, of which 60% is saturated, 30% monounsaturated and 10% polyunsaturated, compared with sunflower seeds' fat content of 73%, of which just 12% is saturated and 21% monounsaturated and 67% is polyunsaturated.
7. Heat, light and oxygen destroy essential fatty acids, which is why it is best to keep oils in dark containers.
8. Essential fats must come from the diet because your body cannot produce them. The essential healthy fats are Omega 3 and Omega 6 (known as essential fatty acids).
9. Weight for weight, fat provides more than twice the amount of usable energy than carbohydrates or protein (you'll find 9 calories in every gram of fat).
10. Fat contributes to the palatability, texture and the smell of many foods, it also slows down the process of digestion providing an extended period of satiation after a meal.
When you know the good from the bad, fat is fabulous!
(c) Copyright Kim Beardsmore
-- Kim is a successful weight loss coach who will cut through the diet-hype and help you reach your goal weight. No public 'weigh-ins', meetings that cost you money or fads...simply results you will love! You can receive a free consultation. Visit today: http://tinyurl.com/4ad56 Are you interested in earning money from home? We can help you grow a profitable home business: http://tinyurl.com/4ad56
Chicago limo Skokie ..If you are fighting the battle of the bulge (overweight... Read More
Let's face when it comes to overweight and obesity there... Read More
Good health is an invaluable bliss and you cannot simply... Read More
If you're a low carb diet enthusiast, you've probably tried... Read More
Body wraps can help tone and tighten the skin, improve... Read More
Have you been on a new diet for a couple... Read More
Throughout my childhood and teenage years I watched as my... Read More
Is this even possible?Well hold on to your seat because... Read More
IntroductionThe history of The Atkins Diet goes back to the... Read More
Having just returned from a week of basking on a... Read More
How many meals do you eat in one day?Close study... Read More
Humanity is always in search of a wonder drug that... Read More
Well, with the success of my article, "Wrinkle Remover That... Read More
Diets, diets, diets... every where you go, anything you read... Read More
Dieting and Exercising ? Results all the time!To be successful... Read More
It's agreed that if you raise the amount of calories... Read More
For some of us, food is warmth and love. We... Read More
Are you often overcome with an urge to splurge on... Read More
"The kind of thoughts that you plant in your mind,... Read More
MYTH: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.FACT: Fad diets... Read More
The Atkins diet can be boring because of the limited... Read More
One pound of fat equals 3500 calories. Want to lose... Read More
Whether coming from a close friend, the nightly news or... Read More
Are you Telling Yourself It's Too Hard to Lose Weight?Telling... Read More
Weight loss programs often have big claims. Understand the "science"... Read More
limo O'Hare Bonfield ..It is a fact that about 70% Americans are overweight.... Read More
Weight loss is so consistent and rapid after gastric bypass... Read More
All of our behavior results from the thoughts that preceded... Read More
Taming the See Food Eat Food ResponseWhat happens when you're... Read More
Contrary to common belief, your weight is not really the... Read More
In 1994, I had a RNY surgery. At 350 lbs... Read More
Your Can Turn Fat into Muscle......Fact or Fiction???Completely False!!!!First of... Read More
While exercising isn't complicated, it's very easy to make mistakes.... Read More
Recently, I read an article from Japanese magazine that by... Read More
Fifteen Secrets of Safe and Easy Permanent Weight Loss Revealed!*... Read More
Whether coming from a close friend, the nightly news or... Read More
One of the hardest aspects of getting yourself into shape,... Read More
How would you like Julia Roberts to coach you on... Read More
When you talk about losing weight you're really talking about... Read More
Are you ready to lose some weight? Perhaps you're surfing... Read More
With all of the conflicting studies and fuzzy interpretation of... Read More
Do calories matter or do you simply need to eat... Read More
A pound of fat represents approximately 3500 calories of stored... Read More
I personally lost 60 pounds in 2003. Here are some... Read More
Chances are if you've stepped foot in a gym or... Read More
Are you one of the many people who feel frustrated... Read More
Q: "I'm wondering if you can help me. I'm not... Read More
Many Americans include health improvement in their New Year's Resolutions.... Read More
Put simply, your resting metabolic rate is the minimum number... Read More
The holidays are definitely a special time of year. These... Read More
Weight Loss |