In our day and age, it is easy to be duped into believing that fat is bad for you. The importance of fat in our diet is often overlooked and we’ve been conditioned to think that fat is bad and should be avoided at all costs, but the truth is that we need it for energy and to keep us feeling full. However, in order to function properly our body needs a certain amount of fat per day. In fact, most people do not get enough of this vital nutrient.
Fat doesn’t just provide flavor on a lot of our favorite foods, but it helps keep us full and help us feel satisfied and full longer. Also, it is the building block for a lot of parts of our body, such as Cholesterol which is a building block for a lot of our different hormones. The most important thing is that fats help regulate digestion, by actually slowing down the digestive process. Hence, it can help us with satiation which keeps us feeling full after eating so we don’t eat as much. This macronutrient also helps reduce the glycemic load of any carbohydrates eaten in a meal which helps prevent a blood sugar spike which can result in an increase in insulin.
Where can we get fat? It can be found in animal fats, such as salmon, eggs, and fattier cuts of beef which is a high fatty food. Oils are another great source of fat. Other good fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids like olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil. Nuts and butter are all great sources of fat, and of course, everyone’s favorite fat source, avocados.
By understanding the importance of fats in your diet and how they can affect your health, as they provide a lot of nourishment to us, you will be able to make more informed decisions about what you eat and why.