5 Reasons Why Fat Is Good For You by fitness coach Yuvraj Salvi

When it comes to the right nutrition there needs to be a balance of all nutrients combined such as
proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals & water (4-6 liters a day depending on a person’s daily
physical activity).

Before I tell, let me make it clear what kind of fats are unhealthy. There are good and bad fats in food.
Saturated and Trans fats are the bad fats which don’t go well with our body in a long run such as Pork,
Lamb, Beef, Processed meats such as Sausages etc. However people who eat less calories than
recommended are encouraged to eat these foods. But more dangerous are the Trans fats which
increase your LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) which may lead to diseases later in life. Trans fats include foods such as Doughnuts, Margarine, fried fast food, frozen pizza, microwave popcorn, cream filled candies, cakes, pies and cookies.

So what kind of fat is preferred above these?

They are unsaturated fats which the body requires for daily body functions about which we discuss later.
These foods include olives, peanuts, avocados, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, flax seeds & fish.
Now there is a clear picture of what is good & bad, let’s look at why these fats are good for you.

1) As a source of energy:-

Unlike carbohydrates, fats do not provide great amount of energy to carry out high intensity activities. Rather fats provide low & steady source of energy which is perfect to carry out low & moderate intensity work throughout the day. Once body starts running out of carbohydrates the body starts getting its energy through fat. In a team sport such as cricket it is very necessary that your body has some amount of fat stored so that the body keeps functioning as it is at low & moderate intensity levels.

2) Good for your Hormones:-

The hormones in our body require fats as a wagon to spread throughout the body. If a individual is too skinny in his early days it may delay his puberty. Therefore, it is important to consume certain amount of fat so that hormones essential for bone growth, muscle growth & other physiology related growth so that the hormones can circulate throughout the body.

3) Fats Store Vitamins:-

Fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, D, E & K cannot be absorbed by the body. Low levels of these vitamins in the body can cause anemia, headaches, and blindness in children, blood thinning, and calcium deficiency etc.

Please note that excess consumption of fat soluble vitamins is also fatal to the body. To get a clear picture getting your blood checked is recommended. Otherwise, make sure that you follow a balanced diet.

4) Provides insulation & cushion to the body:-

Ever wondered why your fat friend doesn’t feel cold so easily?

Yes, because he has greater percentage of fat in his body which insulates his body from the extreme low temperatures. Although more than 15% body fat for men and 20% for women is not recommended if these individuals are looking for optimal performance in sports. Athletes are recommended to follow specific guidelines with regard to their respective sport. Different sport require different fat percent.

Fat also protects organs from contusive/external forces that is why players in high impact sport such as American football, wrestling have a greater amount of fat in their body compared to other sport.

5) Fat is Tasty:-

We all agree that food containing high amount of fat taste good. Remember anything in excess will have adverse effects this is also true when we talk about fat. It’s just important to have a balanced diet like I mentioned in the beginning. No diet is perfect and every food that you intake has different ways of adapting to your body.

Therefore, it becomes necessary that a good fitness & nutrition professional must be consulted who can understand your concerns and give you proper solution to your fitness related issues.

Please Note:- The article is intended to provide proper information and a experience of the writers work as a fitness professional.