Fat gets a bad rap. I'm thinking about making a shirt with the phrase on it to support the cause.
The reason fat has been demonized is that it is calorie dense. For instance carbs and protein both have 4 calories per gram, while fat has 9 calories for gram. So if you eat something that is fat you are getting more than double the calories of a carb or protein of the same size.
But low-fat and fat-free foods are not the answer. Whenever food manufacturers take something out, they will add something back in. And it is not something you want in your body. Usually it is things like sugars, starches, and chemicals. No thank you.
Plus, people tend to eat ton of them because it's fat free, that means I can eat the whole box right? Darn you Mr. Snackwell!
Why do you want to eat fat? Fat is considered an essential macronutrient (the other two are protein and carbs) for a reason.
The benefits of dietary fat include:
-absorb and store fat soluble vitamins (some famous fat soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K)
-skin health (keeps your skin from drying out)
-helps you feel full (satiety is a fancy word used sometimes for this feeling)
-boosts your immunity
-helps control inflammation (joint pain is an example of inflammation)
-keeps your cells healthy (no big deal, cells are just what you are made of)
Some examples of healthy fats are: fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, and tuna), extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, and avocados.
The one fat you should avoid at all costs is the dirty trans fat. It is basically a fat that has no redeeming qualities for humans. It is only beneficial to food manufacturers, so they can keep their foods on the shelves longer. These fats are commonly found in margarine, cookies, cakes, and fast food.
Read your food labels/packaging and if it says it has trans fat in it, don't buy it. And beware of the sneaky hydrogenated oil trick. If your list of ingredients says hydrogenated oil, you also want to avoid that. The process of hydrogenating oils creates trans fats, but because it is under a certain amount (0.5 grams for you scoring at home) it does not have to be listed on the package.