How much fat per day? Healthy Fats 101

There's a lot of confusion about fat and whether or not it is "good or bad".

There are some people who say that fat makes you fat, while others say that fat should make up the majority of your diet. Who is right?

Well, the answer lies somewhere between these two extremes. Height, weight goals, and medical issues can all affect the amount of fat a person should eat, along with the type they need to prioritize.

Why do we need fats in our diet?

Fats are our top energy suppliers. They have the highest calorific value and provide around 9 calories per gram – that's about twice as much protein or carbohydrates (the other 2 Macronutrients).

However, when we use more energy in the form of fat than our body needs, it is deposited in our fat stores.

Even if we usually think of fat deposits when we lose weight, a certain amount of fat is important to keep our body healthy.

What fat does for us:

• Protects and isolates our organs
• Absorbs fat-soluble (fat-soluble) vitamins A, D, E and K
• Regulates the production of hormones
• And much more

What Are 3 Types Of Fats Fatty Acids And Which Are Healthy?

The fats we eat can contain several types of fatty acids, including saturated fat, unsaturated fat, and trans fat.

# 1 Saturated fat

This type of fatty acid can mainly found in animal products like butter, cream and cheese, but also in some vegetable fats like palm or coconut oil.

Are Saturated Fats Healthy?

Saturated fats are also known as "unhealthy" fats, but recent research has found that saturated fats play a crucial role in maintaining adipose tissue Health. (1, 2, 3). Our body has foodEssential fat, supported by saturated fat intake, which helps our body to thrive. There is Layers of fat around the organs for protection, Fat membranes around cells to regulate and fats that help with hormone production.

However, let's be clear that you don't have to start eating butter sticks for breakfast in order to increase your saturated fat intake.

What Are Good Sources of Saturated Fat?

Unless you are vegetarian or vegan, you are most likely getting enough saturated fat from the animal products you already eat. These sources include, but are not limited to, eggs, milk, cheese, butter, ghee, chicken, beef, pork, salmon, etc.

For the non-meat eaters, there are still plenty of ways to consume healthy saturated fats. Avocados, nuts and seeds, coconut, coconut oil, chia seeds, and dark chocolate all contain saturated fat to aid in these processes.

# 2 Unsaturated fat

Unsaturated fats are mainly found in Vegetable oils, such as canola, olives, sunflowers and peanuts as well as avocados, and nuts oily fish.

Are unsaturated fats healthy? Fats?

Unsaturated fats offer the most benefits. they help protect the brain, reduce injury and inflammation, keep the heart healthy and much more.

You can think of these fats as your body's protectors. They are struggling to keep your body healthy from negative stress that can be harmful.

What is oleic acid?

Oleic acid is a type of fatty acid found in olive oil. As an important part of the Mediterranean diet, the oleic acid in olive oil is used to treat and prevent various types of diseases such as cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. (4)

The omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids

A distinction is made between omega-6 fatty acids (contained in sunflower, corn and soybean oil) and omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids protect the cardiovascular system while preventing heart disease. In addition, they have a positive effect on our cholesterol levels by increasing what is known as “good” cholesterol (HDL) and they also play an important role in the development of the brain.

The amount most people ingest has started to focus heavily on consuming omega-6 and moving away from omega-3, which can promote chronic inflammation in the body. Most of us eat a 17: 1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, although it should be closer to 5: 1.

What Are Some Good Sources Of Omega 3?

There are a variety of Omega-3 fat sources including: fatty fish (salmon, tuna, trout, herring), avocado, oils (flax, fish, olive, avocado), nuts (pecans, cashews, almonds, walnuts), seeds (flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds).

The great thing about these fats is that they are incredibly easy to work in! Try adding a source of fat to each meal to keep you recharged throughout the day. This can be 1/4 avocado, a spoonful of oil, a pinch of nuts or seeds, or swap oily fish as a source of protein with meals.

# 3 trans fats

This type of fat can be found in highly processed foods, fried foods, cakes and cookies, margarine, frozen meals, and more.

Are Trans Fats Healthy?

Artificial trans fats are made by an industrial process in which hydrogen is added to the oil to solidify it. High intake of these foods has been linked to a higher risk of total murderality. (5) This is mainly due to the fact that these fats lower good cholesterol, raise bad cholesterol, and promote inflammation.

Trans fats can be hidden, but it's best to look for grams of trans fat on the nutrition label and look for partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients section. Instead of fast-food fries, try making them in the oven at home.

How Much Fat a Day? A rule of thumb

Fats should make up around 30% of your caloriestake. (6) Various diets, such as Keto diet, can suggest different ratios of fat, carbohydrate and protein intake. In general, an adult needs around 60 to 80 grams of fat per day. When you eat high fat foods, this amount is pretty easy to achieve.

Examples of high-fat foods:

• 1 cup of avocado = 22 g of fat
• Handful of almonds = 14 g fat
• 3 squares of extra dark chocolate (30 g) = 14 g
• 1 tablespoon of oil = 15 g of fat

Fats and exercise

As Protein and carbohydrates, fats also play an important role in sports nutrition. Athletes should definitely keep an eye on their fat intake. American nutrition researcher Artemis Simopulos recommends 2 g omega-3 fatty acids (EPA / DHA) per day. (7) You acan be found in oily fish, but also in flax seeds (flax seeds) or chia seeds. A large piece of salmon or a tablespoon of linseed oil covers Your daily needs.

Tips for your everyday life

It is recommended to use 10 to 15 g (= 2 to 3 teaspoons or 1 tablespoon) high quality vegetable or nut oil for cold dishes. In general, try to avoid deep-frying to reduce the amount of fat in your food.

Which oils are suitable for high-heat cooking, for frying …

• Sear, sear, fry: Avocado oil
• High heat cooking: Light olive oil, grapeseed oil, butter, ghee
• Toast over medium heat: Coconut oil
• Cold platters (finishing oil, vinaigrette / dressing …): High quality walnut oil, flaxseed oil, extra virgin olive oil, pumpkin seed oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil

Did you know already…

…the fat slows down your digestion? Including healthy fats in your diet will help you stay full longer. In addition, your blood sugar level rises more slowly if you combine your meals with (healthy) fats. This will help prevent food cravings.

Here, answer all your questions about how you can improve your health by changing your diet.

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