One of the keys to a healthier diet is cutting back on certain types of foods that can’t provide your body with any sort of nourishment. That being said, there are also many fatty foods that have been shown time and time again to be essential to good health.
What are dietary fats?
Fat is a type of macronutrient, like carbohydrates and protein. While you’ll get energy from other types of nutrients, fat is crucial for healthy heart and brain function. For years we’ve been told that fatty foods will cause health issues like an increased waistline and high cholesterol and while certain types of fats may have those as side effects, other types of fat might actually provide a long list of health benefits.
“Bad” fats, such as artificially produced trans-fats and saturated fats, are guilty of unhealthy traits that fatty foods are often blamed for–weight gain, clogged arteries, increased risk of certain diseases, etc. However, fats that are considered good like unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids have the opposite effect. In fact, healthy fats play a huge role in helping you manage your moods, fight fatigue, and even control your weight
By understanding the difference between good and bad fats and how to include more healthy fat in your diet, you can improve how well you think and feel, boost your energy, or trim your waistline.
Here are 5 good reasons to eat more fat.
1. Brain functions
Fat and cholesterol are so important for brain development. Eating a diet filled with healthy fats is vital over here. Studies are finding that people who follow low-fat diets are more susceptible to cognitive impairments. On the positive side, diets high in saturated fat have been found to be an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and the prevention of strokes.
When our body is running on ketones instead of glucose, it can make us more efficient and require less energy. This only happens when we are eating low-carb and high-fat diets with moderate protein.
The brain, of which the majority is composed of fat and cholesterol, needs fats to develop properly. If you don’t consume enough fat, your brain will be robbed of these raw materials.
2. Absorbs Vitamins
Some vitamins cannot be absorbed without fat. These are commonly fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K. Natural sources of high-saturated fats are often rich in these essential nutrients too. This is not the only thing, eating fats with your fruits and vegetables allows your body to better absorb the vitamins and minerals.
Consensus research shows that individuals who eat salads with fat-free or low-fat dressings will absorb fewer beneficial phytonutrients than those who are eating salads in full-fat dressing. The health benefits depend on which nutrients the person is trying to add to their diet.
3. Lung functions
Our lungs contain a substance called surfactant, and it’s made up of fat! Surfactant is important for maintaining lung function since it lowers the surface tension of liquid in our lungs.
There has been a sharp increase in asthma cases and a decrease in the consumption of saturated fat which could hint at some sort of correlation.
New research has found that when saturated fats are replaced with polyunsaturated fats, they can cause damage to the lungs in people.
4. Liver health
A diet that is rich in saturated fats may reduce the risk of fatty liver disease or cirrhosis. Individuals who have a high intake of saturated fats are less likely to develop these conditions.
Those who consume diets high in polyunsaturated fats will likely experience side effects when it comes to their liver. Saturated fats encourage the liver cells to dump their fat content and protect the liver against toxins and alcohol, whereas polyunsaturated fats have the opposite effect.
5. Reduce body fat
Eating fat doesn’t make you fat! If you’re looking to lose body fat, increasing your intake of fats is essential for powering your body at a high-level. Healthy fats are the most stable forms of energy and offer many other health benefits.
Eating plenty of fat can provide you with an appetite where you don’t feel hungry for food as often. Individuals who eat the most amount of fat, have a higher chance of losing excess body fat. Restricting your carbohydrate intake while eating a high-fat diet is a great way to lose weight. Studies prove it’s not just safe, but also effective.
Foods high in healthy fats are beneficial for your health. Eating a low-fat diet can lead to serious health problems
Fats were often thought to be unhealthy and bad for the heart, but now research shows that this is not always the case.
Additionally, high fat foods often offer the same health benefits as their lower-calorie counterparts without as many processed ingredients. These high fat foods offer a lot of nutritional value, which is why they are added to our list of nutritious foods.
Author Bio:
Hi, I’m Rana and I blog at ranasrecipe.com. My passion for food began very early in my life. And after managing a cafe, a granola business and helping other food businesses scale up, I found my true calling in creating wonderful recipes so that everyone can enjoy cooking as much as I do! Don’t forget to follow me on my social channels- instagram and pinterest.
