by Erin D Marion - Published 6 months ago

Fat Guide: Essential Tips for Health

Don't be scared of fat. It's essential for a healthy diet and makes food taste better. Here's a breakdown of fat and its impact on your health.

FAT BASICS

Fat is the most calorie-dense macronutrient at 9 calories per gram (carbs and protein have 4). This is because its primary function is energy storage. Your body breaks down dietary fat into fatty acid chains, which are absorbed by intestinal cells, reassembled, and packaged into chylomicrons. These chylomicrons travel to muscle or fat tissue, where the fatty acids are released and taken up by cells. They're used for immediate energy needs (like after a walk) or stored in fat tissue for later use.

Your body breaks down fat significantly when you're in a calorie deficit. This occurs when you restrict your calorie intake or exercise vigorously. The body taps into its fat stores, breaking them down for energy through 'beta oxidation'. This process requires glucose (from carbohydrates or protein) and works best with moderate calorie restriction.

Besides calorie deficits, the body also burns fat during everyday activities. It's the main fuel source for low-intensity movements like sitting or walking the dog. This preserves glucose for the brain and red blood cells.

FAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE

Fat is vital for our survival — our bodies can even produce fat from excess carbohydrates and protein. It's essential for various bodily functions, including:

1. FAT IS KEY FOR HEALTHY CELLS, ORGANS, AND BRAINS

Adequate fat intake is protective. It's a crucial component of cell membranes, acting as a barrier against harmful substances. Fat also cushions organs, shielding them from daily wear and tear. We need specific fats to build and maintain a healthy brain, which is approximately 60% fat.

2. FAT POWERS MOST ACTIVITIES

Our bodies primarily rely on fat for energy during everyday activities, such as using a computer or walking a dog. This is especially true when your heart rate stays below 70% of its maximum.

When you consume fewer calories than you burn, your body turns to its fat reserves for energy. This process, called “beta oxidation,” requires glucose and works most efficiently with a moderate calorie restriction.

3. FAT HELPS YOU FEEL FULL AND MAINTAIN A MORE STEADY BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL

Fat triggers the release of CCK, a hormone that promotes feelings of fullness after eating. Combining high-fat foods with high-carb foods prevents rapid blood sugar spikes because fat slows down digestion and the rate at which sugars from carbohydrates enter the bloodstream.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF FAT

Fats are commonly found in many foods, either naturally or added during processing. Naturally occurring fats are prevalent in dairy products, meat, fish, nuts, seeds, oils, and some fatty fruits like avocados and olives. Added fats are often present in processed and packaged foods. It is important to note that not all fats are created equal when it comes to their impact on health.

Let's take a look at the most common types of fats found in food:

SATURATED FAT

Saturated fats, solid at room temperature, primarily originate from animal sources like meat, especially red meat, and dairy products. Some plants and their oils, like coconut and palm, are also high in saturated fat. Most major health organizations recommend limiting saturated fat intake as it can elevate LDL cholesterol, a factor associated with heart disease. The MyFitnessPal app, for instance, suggests a saturated fat limit of less than 10% of total calories.

TRANS FAT

Most trans fats in food are made synthetically by adding hydrogen to liquid unsaturated fats, making them solid like saturated fats. This improves shelf life and cooking ease, but trans fats are bad for the heart. They raise LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower HDL (good) cholesterol. The MyFitnessPal app recommends 0 grams of trans fat per day.

MONOUNSATURATED (MUFA) AND POLYUNSATURATED FAT (PUFA)

These are considered "healthy" fats as they don't pose the same heart disease risk as saturated and trans fats. MUFA and PUFA are found in high-fat plant foods like avocado, nuts, seeds, olives, and fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel.

OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-6

While technically polyunsaturated fats, omegas need a separate mention as our bodies can't produce them and we need to get them from food. Omega-6 and omega-3 regulate our immune systems. Omega-3 is crucial for vision and nervous system development. Adults need 12–17 grams per day of omega-6 and 1.1–1.6 grams per day of omega-3. We get enough omega-6 from foods containing soybean, safflower, and corn oil. Omega-3 is harder to obtain and mostly found in fatty fish, leading to the recommendation of more seafood by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

TARGET FAT GOALS

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends that fat should make up 20–35% of your total calorie intake. However, you can adjust this based on your individual goals. The MyFitnessPal app automatically allocates 30% of calories to fat, but you can customize this setting.

To calculate your daily fat intake in grams:

Select the percentage of calories you want to get from fat. You can choose 20%, 25%, 30%, or 35%. Convert this percentage to a decimal (for example, 30% becomes 0.3).

Multiply your total daily calorie goal (provided by the MyFitnessPal app) by the decimal value you calculated. This will give you the number of calories you need from fat.

Divide the number of calories from fat by 9 to determine the grams of fat you should consume.

Compare this calculated value to your current fat goal in the app. Adjust your fat intake if necessary.

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF FAT IN YOUR DIET

1. ENJOY MEAT AND DAIRY IN MODERATION

These foods are important for a healthy diet, but they contain saturated fat. Balance them with plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

2. EAT FATS WITH NUTRIENT-RICH FOODS

Combining fats with foods containing fat-soluble vitamins and minerals helps your body absorb them more effectively. For example, use a high-fat salad dressing to get the most out of the vitamins and minerals in your salad.

3. CHOOSE FOODS HIGH IN OMEGA-3 FATS

Our diet typically provides ample omega-6 fats, but a better balance between omega-6 and omega-3 is crucial. Both fats help control inflammation, so a healthy ratio is important.

4. VARY YOUR COOKING OIL

Different oils offer varied levels of saturated fat, MUFA, and PUFA, as well as distinct flavors and aromas. For cost-effectiveness, use olive oil for low-heat cooking and canola oil for high-heat cooking. Olive oil provides beneficial MUFA and omega-6 fats, while canola oil also offers a decent amount of omega-3 fats.

5. EAT FOODS RICH IN HEALTHY FATS

Prioritize monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in your diet, such as the ones listed below:

3 FAT MYTHS, DEBUNKED

The field of nutrition has moved past the fear of fats prevalent in the 1990s. To be absolutely clear, we want to dispel any lingering old beliefs.

1. CONSUMING FAT DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY LEAD TO WEIGHT GAIN

Your body stores fat when you consume more calories than you burn. Even if those extra calories come from carbohydrates or protein, your body can convert them into fat for storage.

2. YOUR BODY ONLY USES CARBS DURING EXERCISE

Your body uses a mixture of carbohydrates, fat, and protein as fuel. At rest and during low-intensity exercise (less than 70% of your maximum heart rate), your body primarily burns fat. When you exercise at a moderate intensity or higher, your body switches to using carbohydrates as its main fuel source.

3. EATING LOW-FAT AND NONFAT FOODS SAVES CALORIES

Despite their labels, low-fat and nonfat foods often contain more fillers and additives to compensate for the missing flavor. These additives frequently include sugar (or one of its many forms).