FAT: The Good , The Bad and The Ugly

By: Sherif El-Herraoui

No one should be scared of the word fat .. On the contrary to common belief,  fat  is pretty essential for our survival . Every cell in our bodies maintains its integrity by having some sort of fat and even cholesterol in its wall.

In our bodies, fat is stored as Adipose tissue underneath your skin, around the internal organs, in bone marrow and in breast tissue. It serves as an energy store: each gram of fat gives 9 calories of energy when burnt. They help in shaping your exterior, act as protective padding for your internal organs and regulate body temperature by being an insulator.

Vitamins A, D, E and K  are fat soluble meaning they can only be digested, absorbed and transported into the presence of fat. They also responsible for secreting a bunch of hormones involved in the regulation of appetite , energy metabolism, inflammation and others closely related to Insulin resistance and the development of Type II Diabetes.

In diet, fat could be either Saturated or Unsaturated. To easily distinguish between them, saturated fats are solid at room temperature like margarine, butter or cheese. While unsaturated ones are liquid in nature at room temperature like oils. Another form is the Trans Fat which is partially hydrogenated fat found naturally in red meat, but were artificially created in the laboratory to provide cheaper alternatives to butter and that is the worst kind of fat you need to stay away from.

Saturated fats in your body  tend to increase the cholesterol levels and the LDL ( Bad Cholesterol ) in your body increasing the risk for heart disease. While Unsaturated fats lower the LDL in favor of the HDL ( Good Cholesterol )  decreasing the risk. Unsaturated fats are either Poly Unsaturated or MonoUnsaturated.

Our bodies are very versatile and can form the fat they need  from other sources in the diet. But there are Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) that our bodies can't make so they have to be included in the diet. They are only two: the famous Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They are essential for most metabolic processes in the body and their imbalance recently linked to Osteoporosis ( Weak Bones ), dermatitis ( Skin Inflammation ) and the list goes on.

Food sources of the EFAs include fish, shellfish, soya oil, canola oil, leafy vegetables and walnuts. You could also have them in tablet form.
Fats are an essential part of our well being and should certainly be a part of your diet, you only have to choose the right kind of fat. Vegetable and fish sources being the most healthy. Nowadays you can find low fat or zero fat alternatives for milk, cheese, yoghurt and even mayonnaise everywhere and I personally encourage you to choose the reduced fat alternatives. They don't taste that different and are an easy way out for a lifestyle modification. Red meat in moderation and keeping away from prepackaged products with hydrogenated oils on the label is a safe option.

Eat the good fat and Stay Healthy !!!