The "Skinny" on Fat

Well, I promised it. And now?  It is time for another health blog from yours, truly.

I think people are very misinformed when it comes to fat.  Sure, we know it's the "squishy" stuff that is hiding our sexy six-pack abs and everything else that we wish looked a bit better.  But why do we have it anyway?

I know there are so many diets out there that emphasize LOW FAT or NO FAT diets.  Well, in America, that is probably a good idea, because "if a little is good, more is better".... which is why we consume so much bad stuff for us. Here are some major things to know about fat.

1. It is a great source of energy. As in an energy reserve.  The bad side?  Excess calories get converted to fat. Extra calories=extra fat.  Plus all the fat you are consuming.
2. Linoleic Acid is an essential fatty acid that serve a structural role. It is found in many plants and is considered a polyunsaturated fat. Linoleic acid is also known as the Omega 6 fatty acid. The bad side? It should only be consumed as 4% of calories.... On average, the American diet contains up to 6-10% of dietary calories. However, when consumed properly, this fatty acid can help you lower your cholesterol.
3. Another incredibly essential fatty acid? Omega 3.   This one is found mostly in plants and fish.  Don't like fish?  This is the magic stuff that comes in a "fish oil" capsule.  True story?  I take a fat supplement daily. It is proven to help lower your triglycerides.  There are SO many benefits of taking fish oil.  If you don't eat fish frequently (like myself), I suggest you take a look at the Benefits of Fish Oil.  It is so good for you in so many ways, from your heart, to your skin, to your reproductive system.
4. The best place you can get both Omega 3 and Omega 6 with the correct ratio is in Olive Oil and Canola Oil.  Especially Olive.
5. You need fat.  There are some essential fat soluble vitamins (A, D, and E) that you need to efficiently absorb.  Fat does that for you.  It helps with absorption and carrying those vitamins around.
6. Fat helps you feel fuller longer.  It's satiety delays stomach emptying.  This doesn't mean that you should go out and eat as much fat as you possibly can, but in my opinion, it means you should keep a little bit of fat in each meal to keep you feeling fuller a little bit longer. Ever notice how low fat stuff like salad fills you up, but not for very long?  The key is moderation!
7. I have blogged about transfats before.  If nothing else, remember it gives you cancer. Mostly breast cancer.  Also cancer has been seen in the colon, stomach, esophagus, etc. So stay away from transfats and any kind of hydrogenated oil. It also increases your cholesterol and triglycerides.
8. You are born with all the fat cells in your body that you will ever have.  You don't grow more, you don't lose fat when you lose weight.  The size and activity of the cell will increase as you consume more calories.  You can't turn fat into muscle.  Sorry!  But when you go to the gym and start toning up, you are simply burning those extra calories that are being stored in the fat cells and you are building that muscle up.

This is what a slide of fat cells (adipocytes) actually looks like.  In case you were wondering.

Really, like everything else in your regular diet, fat should be consumed in moderation instead of in excess.  Completely taking it out of your diet?  Might leave you extra hungry and you might end up consuming more calories, which gets converted to fat anyway when you consume an excess.  The key here? Balance. Balance fat intake and caloric intake and it will help you out lots!

What are your thoughts on fat?  What works for you in your diet as far as fats are concerned?