Fats And Nutrition
Fats are the most concentrated source of energy in the diet, yielding about 9 calories per gram. That’s more than double that of proteins or carbohydrates. Fats have a lower thermic effect than carbs or proteins, meaning they are more difficult for your body to convert into energy and easier to store as body fat.
In addition to being easily stored as body fat, many people tend to overeat fats because of their lower food volume. There are a large number of calories in a small amount of food. Restaurants are notorious for offering high-fat foods. A burger, fries, and soda value meal may contain as many as 1800 calories. Nine calories per gram adds up quickly.
Fats can be classified into two distinct categories: saturated fats (and trans-fats) and unsaturated fats (monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3 fatty acids).
What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats, and what role do they play in your nutrition? To answer this question, we must take a closer look at their functions and the different types of lipids.
Fats And Nutrition: What Are Saturated Fats?
According to the American Heart Association, saturated fats are fats that have a chemical makeup in which the carbon atoms are saturated with hydrogen atoms. Eating foods that contain saturated fats raises the level of cholesterol in your blood. High levels of blood cholesterol increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Saturated fats come from sources like whole milk, cream, ice cream, whole-milk cheeses, butter, lard and meats. If your fitness goals include weight loss and/or body-fat reduction, saturated fats must be kept to an absolute minimum, if not avoided entirely.
Fats And Nutrition: What Are Trans Fats?
Trans fats (or trans fatty acids) are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid. Although most processed foods are now trans fat free, special care should be taken to avoid these.
Many restaurants and fast-food outlets use trans fats to deep-fry foods, because oils with trans fats can be used many times in commercial fryers. Trans fats are found in foods such as cookies, crackers, cakes, French fries, fried onion rings and donuts, and are often called partially hydrogenated oils.
Fats And Nutrition: What Are Unsaturated Fats?
Unsaturated fats have been shown to play a role in the prevention of high blood pressure, arthritis, and cancer and should be part of your low-fat diet.
They raise (good) HDL cholesterol levels, and lower (bad) LDL cholesterol levels which decreases the risk of heart disease. Unsaturated fats also aid in the transportation of vitamins A, D, E, and K and aid in the digestion of other macronutrients. In addition, they play a part in prolonging the digestive process, creating a longer-lasting feeling of fullness.
The fact is, your body needs some fats to function at its peak. It’s just a matter of getting the right fats and using them in moderation. How much is enough? Your low-fat diet should include about 10-20% of your total daily calories from healthy fat sources.
Trainer’s Tip: Get into the habit of reading the nutritional labels of the foods you eat and distinguishing between saturated and unsaturated fats. Not all fats are created equal.
Include these Sources of healthy fats in your low-fat diet:
Cold Water Fish
Nuts
Canola Oil
Olive Oil
Avocados
Flaxseed Oil
Natural Peanut Butter