Fat and Your Health

Purpose of Fats

The main purpose of body fats are to store the energy that helps fuel your daily life. Fat should be considered a nutrient that is essential for personal growth and development; fat's properties allow the body to stay at peak performance level.

Fat's second greatest gift to your body is the storing and releasing of fatty acids. These fatty acids are responsible for growth and maintenance of skin, vitamin absorption, and the regulation of body functions. In fact, if you do not consume enough fat in a day, your body is deprived of energy and becomes more susceptible to health problems and sickness.

Believe it or not, consuming a proper percentage of fat can also aid in weight loss efforts. Fat actually adds a greater satiety to foods, meaning it helps your stomach to “feel full” for longer. This increased feeling of satisfaction is due to the longer digestive time required for fats; fat is actually present in your stomach for longer than other foods. If weight loss is your goal, consume some fat, but in moderate quantities.

To keep your body's fat at a healthy level, there are quite a few things you can do. The first and most important way to live in a healthy fashion is to monitor what goes into your body.

Be sure to watch the kinds and the quantities of food you consume throughout your day, and monitor the amount of fat in each. While monitoring your fat intake takes discipline, this is the best way to keep extra fat out!

When watching what you eat, the most important thing is to be an informed consumer. Always read the labels of the foods you buy and compare them with the requirements of your diet. The most healthy foods are often low in fat and in calories.

These seemingly small tips regarding fat will lead you in the right direction to both changing poor eating habits and to build your confidence for a lifetime of good eating decisions!