Thread by @ShreyaShah22

Fats!
I should avoid fats,Fats will make me fat
Do u also have this misconception?

Not all fats are bad!
Healthy fats,also known as dietary fats play a vital role in our health

A 🧵thread on the importance of fat,types of fat their sources & example of good&bad fat.

Lets go👇

🔸Fats are a vital nutrient and should not be eliminated from our diet completely.

Fats are important for our body to function properly, and without them, we could not live. They supply us with energy, help in nutrient absorption Good fats are important for our overall health

🔸Why fats are important?
▪️ Energy source
Whilst carbohydrates may be the main energy source for our bodies,dietary fats are the most energy-efficient form of food

Per 1gram of fat they supply the body with 9 calories,which is more than double what is supplied by prot &carb

▪️ Absorption & bioavailability of fat soluble vitamins
Fats also help us digest& absorb important fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K that keep our brains, cells, hormones, tissues, hair, skin, and nails health

▪️In addition to improving bioavailability, some dietary fats are great sources of these fat-soluble vitamins, which would be hard to obtain on a low-fat diet

eg, nuts, seeds&avocados are a great source of vitamin E,&animal foods-eggs, fatty fish&liver r a great source of vit A

▪️ Hormone regulation
Fats play a structural role for many imp substances in the body, including hormones

This means that inadequate dietary fat intake can have an effect on things like fertility

For eg,higher intake of PUFAs(omega-3) -beneficial for enhancing female fertility

Eating fats with each meal can support hormones related to your hunger, for example, eating omega-3 fats can help lower fasting insulin levels, and eating fat releases CCK or cholecystokinin which is a satiety hormone made in your gut.

▪️ Essential Fatty acids
Most of the fats we require can be synthesised in the body, however, there are types of essential fats that the body cannot make and must be obtained from food. These are called omega-3&omega-6 fatty acids.

▪️Satiety & taste

Fats have the ability to dissolve and concentrate flavour and odour chemicals, prolonging the release of flavours in our mouths and therefore making the food taste better

Fat can be more satiating than other macronutrients as it slows gastric emptying

🔸There are two types of fats to know about.

There are two basic kinds of fat, 1.Saturated fat
2.Unsaturated fat

1️⃣Unsaturated fats
Unsaturated fats can be broken down into two further important groups:
🔹Monounsaturated fats (MUFA)
🔹Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA)

Both MUFA& PUFA, when eaten in moderation & used to replace trans fat can help lower cholesterol &reduce risk of heart disease

▪️Monounsaturated fats
Monounsaturated fats are considered a healthy fat that is also a good source of vitamin E.

Monounsaturated fats include olives, avocados, hazelnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and olive oil.

▪️Polyunsaturated fats
The polyunsaturated fats omega-3 and omega-6 are known as ‘essential fatty acids’ as the body can’t create these so they need to be consumed in the diet

salmon, avocados, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids.

2️⃣ Saturated fat
Saturated fats include animal fats (meat, poultry, dairy) and plant oils that are solid at room temperatures like coconut and palm oil.

🔹Trans fat
There are 2 kind of transfat: the naturally occurring kind found in dairy&meat,the artificial kind that occurs when liquid oils r hardened into partially hydrogenated fats(PHF)

PHF r worse kind of fats.They're extensively used in biscuit,bakery foods,packaged snacks

🔸Most common myth
Eating Fat makes you fat!

Eating Fat does not make you fat, it makes you healthy.

Refer to the image below to see what happens when you eat fat. Your body breaks it down into fatty acids which are used for several key functions of the body

🔸High fat foods that are super healthy to include in the diet
▪️Full fat dairy
▪️Ghee
▪️Eggs
▪️Nuts & seeds
▪️Avocado
▪️Coconut oil
▪️Olive oil
▪️Fatty fish like sardines&mackerel

Make sure u don’t overdo consumption of any of these fats&include them in right amount in ur diet

🔸Bad Fats
Any oil that says refined is bad

Check food labels- if you see trans fat, esterified fats they're all bad

"Healthy oil" blends rice bran,canola, safflower,sunflower,pomace oliveoil,margarine,lards r all unhealthy

So,stick to the healthy fat list i have given above

🔸How Much Healthy Fat Should I Eat in a Day?

The exact amount depends on your lifestyle, your health and fitness goals, your digestion, activity level, and genetics.

The total fat (visible + invisible) in the diet should provide between 25-30% of total calories.

🔸Conclusion
Fat may not seem like something you want in your diet, but not all fat is bad. In the right form and right amount, dietary fat is an important nutrient for maintaining good health.