I don't understand why fats are demonized
Iโve heard it my whole life from my parents. โFat is bad for you. It will make you fat.โ They used to always tell me to leave behind the fat on my steak. They used to meticulously cut out the fat on my bacon. And I respect them for trying, donโt get me wrong. But I think they, and many people (maybe you), are just misinformed. And thatโs okay. I hope to educate you on something that is new, but welcomed to me (I love cheese). Firstly, fat doesnโt make you fat. Fat is actually an essential part of your diet. Fats are a great energy source. They are necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (like A, D, E, and K). Fat is also fundamental for the production of hormones. The brain is composed of largely fat, and consuming fat rich in omega-3 and cholesterol a crucial for brain health. The list goes on. Whatโs recommended for my diet is 50% fat, 30% protein, and 20% carbs. So I am eating a whole bunch of cheese, butter, tallow, and fat in my ground beef and on my steaks. Secondly, there are more than one type of fat. Stay with me, this is gonna get scientific. There are 4 main types of fats. Saturated Fats Found in animal fats and some different oils. Monounsaturated Fats Found in plant-based oils, nuts and seeds, avocados, animal products. Polyunsaturated Fats 2 main kinds, omega-3 and omega-6. We will touch on this later. Omega 3 is found in fatty fish, seeds, nuts, plant oils. Omega 6 is found in seed oils, nuts and seeds, processed foods. Trans Fats Found in margarine, shortening, packaged snacks, baked goods (like cookies, cakes, and pastries), and some fast foods. Thatโs great. But you may ask, whatโs the takeaway? Well, saturated and monounsaturated fats are extremely beneficial for humans. Saturated fats are essential for optimal health, supporting brain function, hormone production, and cell structure. Populations consuming diets high in saturated fat, like certain indigenous groups, have low incidences of heart disease and other chronic illnesses. These ones are often vilified, not exactly sure why.