It’s great that you want to be healthier and that you’re working out to get rid of all those excess fats. But did you know that fats are also important for our health?
According to Food Facts for Healthy Choices, dietary fats are important for several health-related aspects and for the optimal functioning of our body.
Photo via Cooking Light
Fats are not just a source of energy, but they also function as structural building blocks, they carry fat-soluble vitamins, are involved in vital physiological processes in the body and are indispensable for a number of biological functions including growth and development. See how important fats are for our body?!
Source of energy
Fats are our body’s source of energy, together with protein and carbohydrates. Fat provides 9 kilocalorie (kcal) per 1g consumed, which is more than double the energy content of protein or carbohydrates which is only 4 kcal per gram.
Fats are stored in the body’s fat tissue and release fatty acids when energy is required.
Brain power
Did you know that up to 70% of our brain is made of fats? Fats are very important for proper brain function, but it needs to be the right kind of fat! Definitely not saturated fats that you get from butter, fatty meat and whole-fat dairy products.
We need to get enough omega-3 fatty acids as these are essential in the building blocks of our brain and they’re also important for learning and memory. These omega-3 fatty acids are mostly found in fatty fish such as salmon and sardines. Yum!
You can also find them in flaxseeds, chia and walnuts.
Carrier of vitamins
Fats are a carrier for fat-soluble vitamins - the A, D, E and K, and supports their absorption in the intestine. By consuming sufficient amounts of fatty foods that contain these vitamins, thus essential for adequate intake of these micronutrients.
Yes, they are an important part of your diet, so choosing healthy fats from vegetable sources more often than less healthy types from animal products can help lower your risk of heart attack, stroke and other major health problems.
Some high-fat foods that are super healthy for you includes:
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Avocadoes
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Cheese
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Dark chocolate
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Whole eggs
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Fatty Fish (Salmon and Sardines)
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Nuts
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Chia Seeds
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Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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Coconuts and Coconut Oil
Hope this helps!
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
