The role of fats in the human body

Fats constitute one of the three main components of the human diet, together with proteins and carbohydrates. The role of fats in our body is essential: without a sufficient level of them, the functioning of the brain and internal organs is disturbed, memory impairment occurs, testosterone production is reduced, depression and other undesirable conditions may occur.

But, as with everything, moderation and balance in the amount of fat consumed is necessary. Today we will talk about what fats are and analyze the volume of consumption necessary to maintain the health and beauty of the body.

Types of fats in foods and their consumption norms

Fats are composed of glycerin and fatty acids. They are saturated and unsaturated, depending on the chemical structure. Saturated fats (fatty acids) are mostly solid fats of animal origin: bacon, butter, and unsaturated fats of vegetable origin – fish oil and liquid fats.

Which one do we need? Obviously both are necessary for our body.

There is no fixed amount of fat recommended for daily consumption, the same principle applies to calorie consumption. Someone gains weight on 2000 calories, while someone else loses weight on 3000 calories. This is something normal.

It is believed that the norm of fat consumption is 0.8-2 grams per 1 kilogram of body weight, but these figures are very arbitrary.

Normal fat intake should be 10-30% of total daily calories. Indices can differ significantly based on individuals’ dietary goals, age and gender.

Importance of fats: essential and non-essential fatty acids

When you eat different foods, you automatically eat fat, because it is practically impossible for a product to be completely fat-free.

A certain percentage of fat can be assimilated by eating chicken breast, cottage cheese and even cereals. Finally, get your daily fat intake from a variety of sources. Most of it will be saturated fat.

The situation is a little simpler because saturated fats are not essential. This means that if there is a deficiency of a certain fatty acid, the body can synthesize it on its own.

As for essential fatty acids, the situation is completely different, these acids are not synthesized by the body and it is necessary for the body to obtain them from food. This also applies to some unsaturated fatty acids.

Due to their chemical structure, unsaturated fatty acids, as a rule, are included in the omega group: Omega-3, Omega-6, Omega-9. The latter two are abundant in vegetable oils. Regarding Omega-3, the situation with this acid needs to be analyzed in more detail.

Omega-3: its role in the body and ways to restore it

The main essential Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are:

• Alpha linolenic acid (ALA)
• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
• Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

The spectrum of their effects on the human body is huge: from accelerating metabolism to restoring the central nervous system and improving mood. But where and in what quantities to obtain these irreplaceable substances – this task is not at all simple.

Fish oil contains a large amount of Omega-3 fats. Research shows that fish and the right dietary supplements can do wonders for body mass and health.

The task seems simple: you need to eat more fatty fish. But, in reality, things are a little more complicated. Unfortunately, fish species that need to cover the daily dose of essential fatty acids are often raised on fish farms. When fish nutrition is incorrect, they will contain fewer useful substances. I’m sure you will agree that we cannot just eat fish to compensate for the necessary micro and macro elements.

For these reasons, dietary supplements are a guaranteed rich source of Omega-3. And if you exercise, then it is good to consume up to 3 grams of Omega-3 per day.

Summary

1. The importance of fats in the diet is fundamental. There is no exact consumption rate. However, many nutritionists recommend that fat intake (of animal or vegetable origin) constitute 10-30% of total daily calories.
2. Fats are composed of fatty acids, which in turn are essential and non-essential. We can only obtain the essential ones through food, which is why they require special attention. All essential fatty acids are unsaturated.
3. The important essential fatty acids are EPA and DHA. Their only guaranteed source is dietary supplements. The norm for a training person is up to 3 grams of acids of this type.