In the last couple of decades, fats have really got a bad reputation as a macronutrient. Even today, people think that the primary reason for their excess weight is the consumption of fat in their diet. Not only is this false, but it is important to know that fats are really essential for your body.
Also, it’s not just fat or any particular macronutrient which is responsible for weight gain and obesity. It is your total overall diet that has been messed up for a long time that has led to excessive fat accumulation in your body.
Find out why fats are essential for your body and which type of fat should you consume in your diet.
Here are the reasons why fats are important:
1. Fats Are Important For Your Skin’s Health
Fatty acids like EPA and DHA found in fatty foods perform important functions in maintaining excellent skin health. DHA is the structural component of the skin and is responsible for the good health of the cell membranes. Other ways in which fatty acids help your skin include; managing oil production in the skin, hydration of the skin, preventing premature ageing of the skin and preventing skin from sun damage.
2. Fat Aids Deep Sleep
Good sleep is the key to optimum health as well as muscle growth. When we say that obesity has increased due to poor lifestyle habits, it includes lack of sleep too. Low levels of fatty acids are associated with sleep obstructions. A lower level of DHA due to low intake of fatty acids is associated with lower production of a hormone called melatonin, which helps you fall asleep. With the increase in the consumption of fat, studies show that there is an increase in the quality of sleep. More sleep means better life quality and better muscle growth.
3. Good For Bone & Joint Health
You’re always at risk of injuring your bones and tendons if you lift heavy in the gym. Therefore it is important to keep a check on your bone health too. Studies show that an increase in fatty acids in the body can improve bone strength by increasing the amount of calcium on your bones. This may also help with reduced joint pains and increased grip strength.
4. Fat Helps In Various Functions In Your Body
Fat serves various important roles in our body that includes helping in the absorption of vitamins like A, D, E and K which are fat soluble vitamins. Apart from this, fat intake also helps us by filling up the adipose tissues in the body which provides insulation to the body by regulating the body temperature. Fats also play an important role in brain development and managing inflammation inside the body.
5. Good Vs Bad Fat
In general terms, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are the ones that are referred to as ‘good’ or ‘healthy fats’. However, in the most common scenarios of daily life, we generally consume the ‘unhealthy fats’ that come in the form of trans-fatty acids in processed foods and hydrogenated fats from various cooking Oils.
Science is of the opinion that for optimum health, you need to balance the consumption of mono, poly, and saturated fats evenly in the ration of 1:1. However, the current ratio is somewhere around 20:1. Thus, there is a need to consume more fats in the form of unprocessed and whole food sources of healthy fats.
6. High Fat Diet Helps In Increasing Testosterone Levels
Your Muscle growth is largely dependent on your testosterone levels. There have been various studies to establish the impact of high-fat diets on testosterone levels. These studies involved the consumption of saturated fat as well. The most relevant of them was where the subjects performed heavy weight training and complemented it with an increase of fat in their diet which showed a clear increase in their testosterone levels.
It is important to note here that the testosterone levels increased when the high-fat diet was given to people who lifted weights. The results were different with the people who were just active and did not lift. For ‘active’ individuals, high fat diet did not have similar effects on their testosterone.
