For years, the word "fat" caused only negative associations. Various specialists frightened us with it, warned that fat consumption would weaken the heart and increase the waist. Later, new recommendations appeared: eat fatty foods as much as you want, but at the same time avoid bread and flour products.
Today, women are so confused and frightened by the topic of fat that they literally throw themselves on fat-free foods in the supermarket. And then no, no, and they'll have a bite of a cheeseburger.
Fortunately for us, the scientists determined what kinds of fats are useful, and calculated in what quantity and with what regularity they should be eaten. And we, in order to make it more convenient for you, processed this information and brought out several arguments in defense of fats.
Fat does not make you fatty
Do you think that any fat in the foods that you eat will immediately be deposited as extra pounds on your hips? This is not quite true. Any nutrient, whether it is fat, carbohydrate or protein, will be converted into fat of your body if you eat it too much. The only way to avoid extra pounds is to control the size of the portion and the amount of calories consumed.
In 1 gram of protein, calories are 2 times more than in one gram of fat. This should be taken into account by those who are trying to lose weight.
In fact, by increasing the amount of fat you eat, you can help yourself lose weight. Researchers at Stanford University found that people who were on a "fat diet" lost 2 times more weight in 2 months than those who followed a "low fat diet", however surprising this may seem at first glance. Your digestive system needs much more time to digest fatty foods, and as a result, you feel longer and eat less and, as a result, eat less.
Fat - the guarantee of health
Strict adherence to dietary norms, for example, white meat consumption of chicken breasts without skin and green salads without dressing, can be quite dangerous. None of us really can not live without fat. Fat is a protective "airbag" for our entire bone apparatus and internal organs. At the same time, it maintains health and a good appearance of hair and skin.
It is the fat that helps the body absorb vitamins such as A, D, E, K.
Nutrients, which we get through fat, help strengthen bones, and also help to avoid various heart diseases. A recent study by the University of Ohio specialists showed which foods contain fats: experiment participants who ate a salad with avocado sauce (the fruit is rich in vegetable fats, consisting of monounsaturated fatty acids), received 3 times more vitamin A from tomatoes and 4 times more lycopene (the substance in combination with vegetable fats is digested much better) compared to those who ate a salad with skim sauce.
Fat "good" and "bad"
However, you do not need to use your body's needs for fat as an excuse for every chocolate, biscuit or bacon that you eat. There are different types of fat, and some of them need you much more than others.
How to distinguish, what fats are useful, and which are harmful?
"Bad" fats are part of animals and processed foods. This steak, cheese, butter, donuts, confectionery. "Useful" fats are found in fish and vegetable products. This is salmon, olives, soybean oil, nuts, seeds.
What is so terrible "bad" fats? They damage the heart, raising the level of arterial cholestrol LDL (it is called "bad"). Even worse, these fats lower the amount of "good" HDL cholesterol that helps purify blood vessels. Harvard specialists found that every additional 5% of calories received with "bad" fats, women increase the risk of heart disease by 17%. Experts advise: try to get all your "fatty" calories from "good" fats. Not more than 10% of "fatty" calories should come with saturated fats (meat, fat, butter).
"Reduced" is not always better
It is true that the "fat diet" usually contains more calories compared to many others. But the desire to reduce calories to a minimum can be no less dangerous to your health. Studies have shown that people who receive about 20% of the total number of calories along with fats are more likely to have heart attacks and a higher risk of developing cancers.
So how many calories is enough? Experts advise that about 25% to 35% of the total number of calories from the total number entered into the body with fats. For a woman, the norm is about 1500 kcal per day. Consequently, a daily portion of "fatty" calories can be represented as follows: 1/2 avocado, 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 2 biscuits.
You do not have to follow this rule every day. It is important to control fat intake on average within a week, allowing yourself to eat a little more in one day, and the next little less.
It is very important to count calories in foods and try to choose only "useful" fats, but also to monitor the size of the portion. Since even the most dietary products absorbed into large ones can easily become overweight.
Fish oil is the most useful
Experts call omega-3 fatty acids a panacea. Studies show that polyunsaturated fats (found in salmon, sardines, anchovies, flounder, flaxseed, walnuts and red meat of herbivores) contribute to the normalization of pressure and cholesterol, improving brain activity and skin condition. Some experts believe that they can even improve mood and protect against depression.
Omega-3 is more readily absorbed by us than any other fats. Once they are in the body, inflammation decreases, which can contribute to the development of arthritis, diabetes or heart disease. " The researchers concluded that people who increased the intake of omega-3 fatty acids lowered the risk of a heart attack by about 40%. Doctors recommend consuming at least i6o mg of these acids per day.
But not all types of omega-3 are equally necessary to the body. The three main types: ALA, DHA and EPA - are very useful. ALA is obtained from plant sources (nuts and seeds). EPA and DHA, especially useful for the heart, are found in seaweed, which feed on fish and shellfish.
To get enough of these nutrients, eat salmon or other fatty fish at least 2 times a week. Do not you like fish? Then take 1 capsule of fish oil every day.
Labels "are cunning"
The inscription "Does not contain trans fats" can be misleading, and you may never know which foods contain fats in reality. After scientists explained how much trans fats are harmful to the heart, most food producers encrypted their recipes, and labeled products: "does not contain trans fats." Many modern high-quality products are free of these fats, but there are quite a few of them that are loaded with unhealthy saturated fats of palm oil and butter. It is important to know, - experts warn, - not everything that you read on the package, you can believe: even those products that are legally labeled "without trans fats" can contain up to 0.5 grams of such fats per serving. This may seem insignificant, but, nevertheless, women consuming just 4 grams of trans fat per day are more prone to heart disease.