You Need to Consume Healthy Fats – Why Low-Fat Foods Are Actually Unhealthy
If you’ve tried being healthier, chances are you have tried to avoid fat like the plague. There’s a common misconception: “Fat is bad for you! Health foods are all low-fat products! They must be right!” Right? Wrong. The truth is healthy fats are absolutely necessary and good for you.
Healthy fats are vital to survival; they help your body do everything, from producing cells to transporting nutrients.
How Healthy Fats Work in the Body
Our cells are surrounded by a lipid bi-layer (lipid as in fat). It holds cells together, allowing them to keep their shape. Fat is also responsible for transporting important molecules in and out of the cell, such as hormones or nutrients.
When you eat healthy fats, you are giving your body the building blocks it needs to function properly. Dietary fat supports cell growth and gives your body energy. The brain itself is made up of 60% fat.
Furthermore, the body uses fat to produce important hormones.
Many Vitamins are Fat Soluble
This means without fat, those vitamins cannot be used by the body. Fat allows nutrients from fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K, to be absorbed and transported. Therefore you can see that fat is vital to survival and you don’t have to fear it.
Cholesterol Misconceptions
While we’re at it, we might as well, right?
Cholesterol and Its Role in the Body
Cholesterol itself is not just fat nor is it bad. It is an organic molecule, made from protein and lipid (fat). Cholesterol serves many purposes in the body.
Fat creates hormones that deal with stress. It is used as insulation in the brain as well by protecting cells from harm and regulating temperature. It is needed for bile production, produced by the liver to break down fat, and allows you to absorb vitamin A.
Cholesterol and Your Diet
The majority of cholesterol in your body does not come from your diet; your cells make cholesterol daily, about 3,000 mg a day (around 80%).
Basically, this means that the rest comes from the food you eat. Your body calculates how much cholesterol it needs to perform the variety of tasks cholesterol accomplishes.
The Takeaway
You can eat healthy fats without fear. It is a healthy ingredient to consume daily. Healthy fats are vital nutrients for our wellbeing and physical fitness. With a healthy diet, cholesterol itself should be at optimal levels for your body’s needs.
In actuality, it is important to teach the body how to break down fat as a source of energy to prevent it from being stored in excess. Try a low-carb diet to accomplish this. However, with carb cycling, you can teach your body to burn carbs and fat. This allows you to switch between different forms of energy.
Health comes from within, so eat well, move your body daily, exercise when you can, and take care of your mental health. Daily habits become building blocks for emotional, mental, and physical health. Remember to protect microbiota health too as it is vital for wellbeing. Learn everything you need to know about gut microbiota today for free here.
