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| importance of dietary fat in nutrition |
DIETARY FATS
Dietary fat is a type of nutrient in food. “Fat” was once a dirty word in nutrition. Years ago, doctors may have recommended limiting or avoiding fat in your diet to prevent weight gain and health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. We know that’s not the case. Some fats can help lower cholesterol levels and keep you healthy. You really want some fat in your eating routine.
Fats are also called “fatty acids” or “lipids”. Our body fat is made up of three interconnected molecules. This three-molecule structure is called a “triglyceride”.
Most of the fats you need are made by your body, but some fats cannot be made by your body. The only way to get these fats is by eating them because these fats are called “essential” fats and must be obtained from food. Essential fats include omega-3 fats (found in foods such as fish and flaxseed) and omega-6 fats (found in foods such as nuts, seeds, and corn oil).
There are three main types of fat in the foods you eat.
1- Unsaturated fats from plant foods.
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| unsaturated fat from plant food |
Unsaturated fats mainly come from vegetables, nuts, and fish. They are fluid at room temperature. These fats are good for the heart and other parts of the body, so experts recommend eating them instead of saturated or trans fats.
Ex:
• Olives
• avocados
• nuts
• walnut
• linseed
• almonds
• hazelnuts
• pecans
The American Heart Association recommends getting 5% to 10% of your daily calories from omega-6 fatty acids. Most people already have that amount.
Find out which foods contain unsaturated fats
2- Saturated fat from animal foods.
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| saturated fat from animal food |
In saturated fats, the carbon atoms are completely covered with hydrogen atoms, or “saturated.” This makes it solid at room temperature. These fats are mostly obtained from animal source.
Ex:
• Butter
• Cheese
• Egg
• Palm and coconut oil
• Red meat such as beef, lamb, and pork
The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 5% or 6% of your daily calories from saturated fat. So in the event that you eat 2,000 calories every day, limit saturated fat to 120 of those calories, or 13 grams of saturated fat each day.
Find out what foods contain saturated fat and how to eat less .
3- Trans fats from commercially processed foods.
Small amounts of trans fat are naturally found in animal products such as meat and milk. However, most trans fats are made through an industrial process where companies add hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them solid at room temperature, extending the shelf life of the food.
Ex:
• Frozen pizza
• French fries and other fried foods
• Cakes
• tarts, cookies, biscuits
• crackers, donuts
• other baked goods
Trans fats may taste good, but they’re not good for you.
The American Heart Association recommends that the calorie intake from trans fats should not exceed 1% of his daily calories. Some places have banned trans fats entirely.
Find out what trans fats are and how to avoid eating them .
IMPORTANCE OF DIETARY FATS IN DIET
1- Supports Absorption and Improves Bioavailability
Dietary fats in the foods we eat help transport fat-soluble vitamins, carrying them through the digestive process and enhancing their absorption in the intestine.This improved absorption is known as increased bioavailability. . Dietary fats can also increase the bioavailability of compounds known as phytochemicals, nonessential plant compounds thought to be beneficial to human health.
2- Contribution to food odor, taste
Fats add flavor to food and thus satisfy your appetite (the desire to eat). Fats contain dissolved compounds that contribute to delicious aromas and flavors. Fats also add texture, making baked goods moist and flaky, deep-fried foods crunchy, and foods such as ice cream and cream cheese creamy.
3- Contribution to satisfy hunger
Fat satisfies hunger (the need to eat) because it is digested and absorbed more slowly than other macronutrients. Therefore, dietary fat contributes to satiety, or satiety. When you swallow fatty foods, the body responds by slowing the movement of the food along the digestive tract, processes that control digestion, allowing fat to take longer to digest and absorb, promoting a general feeling of fullness.
DIETARY FATS ROLE IN BODY
Fats perform the following primary and secondary functions in the human body:
1- long-term energy storage.
All short-term energy sources, such as carbohydrates, are synthesized into fat if they are not consumed relatively quickly. Glucose can be synthesized from stored fat when needed for energy.
2- body temperature.
Fat deposits throughout the body provide insulation for internal functions. Required for the absorption and storage of vitamins. Fat stores in the body provide areas where extra vitamins and nutrients can be stored until they are needed later. Fat is also necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K.
3-It helps maintain balance when toxins enter the body and provides a means of temporarily storing toxins until they are expelled through urination.
4-Included in the omega-3 and omega-6 categories, essential fatty acids are necessary for efficient brain function. Fat is a precursor to hormones such as testosterone.
5-Fats and other lipids form almost entirely cell membranes.
6-Fats also work with cholesterol and are involved in its production.
7- Fats also involved in the production of many useful substances and hormones. Example : We need fat to regulate the production of sex hormones.
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