Proper nutrition. Fats

Fats are compounds made up of fatty acids and glycerin. Just like proteins with carbohydrates, fats are one of the main components for nourishing our cells, and as a result, our body. While most fatty foods do not really provide any health benefits, there are fatty acids that are essential for our body. In order to understand what kind of fat we need, let's figure out what kind of fat it is.

For comparison: 1 gram of fat contains 9 kilocalories, while 1 gram of protein and carbohydrates contains 4 kilocalories, respectively. Thus, if you see that your daily diet is very high in calories, the problem is most likely excess fat.

Fatty acids are of two types:

saturated fatty acids;
unsaturated fatty acids.

Let's start with the saturated ones. Chemically, saturated fats are fats that are loaded with carbon compounds. Not too clear, is it? For us, it is only important that this type of fat is easily combined with each other in our body and is deposited in the fat layer, thereby impairing our health and shape. Foods high in saturated fatty acids include:

fatty meat (including chicken skin);
fast food;
margarine;
confectionery
dairy products.

That is, saturated fat is animal fat and some types of vegetable fat (palm and coconut oils). It is these fats that are harmful to our body if consumed in excessive quantities. And if you are trying to get rid of excess weight, then try to minimize the above types of products.

Unsaturated fatty acids are, as you might guess, fatty acids whose molecules are not oversaturated with carbon. And again, it is important for us that this type of fat is good for our health - naturally, in adequate quantities. A diet with the right amount of fat keeps the endocrine system in shape, thereby making your skin, hair and nails healthy, has a positive effect on metabolism and thus even contributes to weight loss. The most common foods that contain healthy fatty acids include:

a fish;
nuts;
vegetable oils (except palm and coconut).

How Much Fat Should You Eat?

Despite the fact that excess fat is unhealthy, lack of it also negatively affects our body. The norm is 15-25% of calories from the total daily diet, that is, approximately 1 gram per kilogram of body weight. Naturally, we are talking about unsaturated acids, which meet our need for omega-3 and omega-6 fats, while the amount of saturated fats should be kept as low as possible. By maintaining this ratio of fatty acids, you will not only make progress in changing your body, but also improve your health!