Fats: friend or foe?

The benefits of fat

Fats perform various functions in our body. The primary purpose of fat is to provide energy. While carbohydrates provide energy for short, explosive bursts of activity, fats provide energy for long, sustained bursts of activity. These two nutrients work together: the slower the activity, the more fat is used compared to carbohydrates. The faster the activity, the more carbohydrates are used compared to fats.

In addition, fat insulates and protects the body. Fat stored subcutaneously protects the body from the cold. Furthermore, the fat between the organs protects your internal organs from shock loads.

Furthermore, fats ensure that vitamins are better absorbed by the body and are necessary for the production of various hormones.

The downside of fats

Simply put, fats can be divided into saturated and unsaturated fats. The saturated variety is often the cause of high cholesterol and related cardiovascular disease. It should be noted, however, that this mainly occurs with excessive consumption of these saturated fats. It is certainly advisable to be mindful when eating saturated fats.

Getting fat from fats

When it comes to fat, people often use a simple cause-and-effect relationship: "My food is fatty and there's fat on my stomach. They're the same thing, and therefore eating fatty foods makes me gain fat." The truth, however, is a bit more complex. In previous blog posts, I've already confirmed that energy balance is the determining factor in weight gain or loss. Suppose you need 2,000 kcal per day and eat a low-fat diet. But you consume 3,000 kcal daily from carbohydrates and protein. Then you'll automatically see the daily surplus of 1,000 kcal reflected in your stomach, even though you're eating a low-fat diet.

Fats only contribute to fat on your body when you consume more energy than you use. And herein lies the complexity of fats. While carbohydrates and proteins provide 4kcal per gram, fats provide 9kcal per gram. For example: 100 grams of chicken breast made entirely of protein provides 400kcal of energy. 100 grams of chicken thigh fillet made with 80g of protein and 20g of fat provides 500kcal of energy. This makes it easy to eat too many calories, which will ultimately lead to weight gain.

Conclusion

This was a brief introduction to fats. A macronutrient your body definitely needs. Therefore, it's not wise to eat a low-fat diet. Fat won't make you gain weight if it, combined with the other macronutrients, doesn't contain more calories than your energy needs. However, fats do contain more calories (9) per gram than proteins (4) and carbohydrates (4). This makes it easy to overeat. If you have athletic goals and want to adjust your nutrition program accordingly, it's advisable to have between 10-20% of your daily diet come from fats.