Fat in Your Diet Makes You Fat - Or Does It?

Nutrition 101 - Fats - Infographic from MyFitnessPal.com

Fat is not your enemy!

Fat is an essential nutrient.  It is essential to health.  It is essential to life.

Take a look at this infographic "Nutriton 101 - Fats" from MyFitnessPal.  It illustrates some basic facts about fats, including the sources of fat, the types of fat, and the role of fat in health and the diet.

Does Eating Fat Make You Fat?

Eating fat, in and of itself, does not directly make you fat.  You need to eat and store a certain amount of fat.

Eating too much fat can (and probably will) make you fat.  Just like eating too many carbs - consuming too much sugar, pasta and bread will make you fat.

Choosing wisely

Fat is not your enemy; it is your friend.  But, as with carbs, you have to choose your fats wisely. This means choosing healthy fats over unhealthy fats and consuming it in moderate amounts.

Its wise to remember that a gram of fat contains 9 calories.  A gram of carbohydrate or protein contains 4 calories.

Although metabolism is complicated and is influenced by many factors, the fact remains that fat has over two times the calories of carbs and proteins.

If you take in more calories than you burn, you will very likely gain weight.

So, you have to be cautious with the amount of fat you take in because the concentrated number of calories in fat can indirectly cause weight gain, leading to overweight and even obesity.

Although there are some general guidelines, exactly how many calories of fat or percentage of fat to include in your diet appears to be highly individual.  It depends on many factors including your current state of health, age, sex, activity level, stress levels, etc.

The BEST Diet

The "best" diet is a personalized diet based on your particular and unique physiology, psychology, lifestyle, goals (i.e., health, weight loss, weight gain, bikini body, etc.) and other factors and circumstances.

You can discover your "best" diet - the diet that is best for YOU -  by adapting a diet plan or program to your individual needs.  You can also discover your best diet through education, experimentation and paying attention to feedback loops.  Working with a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist is another option.

Related:
Health Benefits of Body Fat

Health Benefits of Body Fat [Infographic]

Health Benefits of Body Fat - 6 Ways Fat Can Help You
Infographic by Everyday Health

Historically, and until relatively recently in human evolution, fat was prized.  It was considered the richest, best and most valuable part of an animal.  In some religions, it was so precious that it was used spiritually.

Being plump was celebrated in many cultures throughout the world because it was a sign of wealth, success and abundance.

During the past 100 years, attitudes in the West have changed dramatically about fat and what being overweight signifies.  In modern times, fats have been vilified and the ideal has become slenderness.

While we now believe (based on the latest research) that obesity and excess belly fat increases the risk for certain chronic disease and cancer, we are also reminded that fat is one of six essential nutrients and performs critical functions in the body - as this infographic illustrates.

Infographic source:  6 Ways Body Fat Can Help You - Surprising Benefits of Body Fat - Everyday Health

Key Functions of Fat in the Body

✔ It provides stores of concentrated energy for muscles, tissues and metabolism
✔ It absorbs, stores and helps the body use fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants
✔ It protects and cushions vital organs and bones
✔ It helps to maintain proper body temperature
✔ It aids in the regulation of the menstrual cycle

Related:
Healthy Oils Part I
Oils to Avoid and Oil Essentials
The Benefits of Vegetable Oil
Healthy Fats:  Cooking and Storing
Ranking of Common Cooking Fats
Fish Oil vs. Krill Oil
Best Omega-3 Foods