Fuel - Fats Edition

Fats have gotten a bad rap over the years in the diet industry. Most messages conveyed by diet culture are some version of, “avoid fats at all costs.” “Fats can make you fat.” However, fats are an important nutrient in our diets. There are several different types of fats that play different roles in our health.

How much fat do we need?

On average, 20-35% of calories should come from fats in an adult diet. If you are consuming on average 2000 calories per day that means you should consume around 44-78 g fat/day. Again, this is not meant for you to get out your calculators or MyFitnessPal trackers to obsessively count or track your fat intake, but rather to provide you with the range needed in a standard diet.  Fat has 9 calories per 1 gram, while protein and carbohydrates have 4 calories per 1 gram. This means fats are more calorically dense compared to carbs and proteins, which is where a lot of fear comes from with this nutrient, but as mentioned above, fats are important in our diets.

What do fats do?

• Fats are a fuel source, they provide energy. All macronutrients provide energy in different ways. Fats are stored in the body and broken down at a slower pace than carbs into fatty acids and transported through the blood to muscles during exercise, specifically low to moderate intensity activity. 

• Fats insulate the body and protect our vital organs. 

• Fats are a component of cell walls, which means fats are crucial in literally every part of your body!

• Fats help absorb fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A,D,E & K). 

See! Fats do a lot more than you might realize. There are three different categories of fat: saturated fats, trans fats, and unsaturated fats. Each of which can affect cholesterol. 

Dietary cholesterol is not fat. It is found in animal foods such as meat, poultry, dairy products and egg yolks. High intakes of dietary cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease and raise your LDL cholesterol. 

Trans fat are fats that are present in foods that contain “partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.” These fats were banned in the US in 2018 by the FDA. Fun fact, I did a grocery store scavenger hunt for trans fat food items and could not find any in the store. Foods that would have contained trans fats before the ban include; crisco, stick margarine, microwavable popcorn, and commercial baked goods- think Little Debbie brand. 

Saturated fats are the fats that we should be mindful of. I believe it can be included in a healthy diet, however research studies have shown that too much saturated fat can increase LDL cholesterol. Saturated fats are found in processed meats, whole milk, butter, lard and coconut oil. 

Unsaturated fats are the fats that help reduce the risk of heart disease and can help lower cholesterol levels. There are two categories within unsaturated fat: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. 

• Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) consist of olive oils, avocado oils, peanut butter, almond butter, and nuts. 

• Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) consist of sunflower oil and safflower oil. Omega 3 fatty acids and Omega 6 fatty acids fall under PUFAs.

  • Omega 3 decreases inflammation and has heart protective benefits. Sources of omega 3 include salmon, trout, sardines, and flax seed. 

  • Omega 6 aids in brain function and normal growth and development. Sources of omega 6 include pumpkin seeds, walnuts and sunflower seeds. 

To wrap up, fats are important! They’re a macronutrient for a reason. Incorporating fats in different forms in each meal is a great way to begin letting go of all diet culture that has fed you revolving fats.